Universal Journey
by Jochern
Summary: A new version of "Destiny trapped". The USS Aleppo and five Ha'tak under Bra'tac was flung into an alternative universe when pulled into a wormhole. They found themselves in the middle of a major conflict and Lt. Colonel Adriana Callahan, Doctor Rodney McKay and Richard Woolsey had to try getting her crew home in one piece. (AU)
1. Ch1 Prolog

Universal Journey Chapter 1 Prolog

Summery: A new version of "Destiny trapped". The USS Aleppo and five Ha'tak under Bra'tac was flung into an alternative universe when pulled into a wormhole. They found themselves in the middle of a major conflict and Lt. Colonel Adriana Callahan, Doctor Rodney McKay and Richard Wolsey had to try getting her crew home in one piece. (AU)

 **Hollow faith, orbit, Covenant Heavy Carrier _Break of dawn_**

Fleet master Ktel Selumee looked intensely at the screen. He narrowed his eyes on the Covenant Heavy Cruiser with three Light Cruisers and a Corvette around it. That wasn't actually too strange. Not a bit. But sense they arrived with five human ships. That made it extremely strange. It was one Battlecruiser, one Light Carrier and two Destroyers.

What was the meaning of this? The humans could not have captured this many of their ships. Furthermore, they could not know the coordinates to Hollow faith. Also, this did not explain why they did not detect any slipspace windows. This fleet had appeared out of know where.

He turned to a Sangheili officer.

"Explain this!" He demanded.

The Sangheili seemed to try figure out something to say, but had no explanation to give.

"Where did they come from?!" Ktel Selumee snapped.

"We didn't detect any slipspace activity," he explain quickly. "It seems they didn't use slipspace. Furthermore. We detect no life signs on board any of the ships."

Ktel frowned. "What?" He turned back to the screen. "How is that possible? Someone must have flown them here idiot. Clearly there is something wrong with our sensors."

"The other ships in the fleet have had the same results Fleet master," another Sangheili interjected.

Ktel growled. "All ships open fire! We'll figure it out after we wipe them out. Tell the _Faith Injustice_ to prepare a boarding party for one of those ships after one has been disabled.

All twenty-two ships in Ktel's fleet opened fire with a barrage of plasma. The ten ships on approach was hit straight on, but the attack was stopped in its tracks by shields. Ktel was shocked. The human ships had shields too?

"Report damage," he ordered.

"None," a shocked Sangheili responded.

"What! No damage at all?"

"No Fleetmaster."

For several minutes the fleet poured fire onto the supposedly lifeless flotilla without much progress. They were first just sitting there with no reaction then shields activated.

As Ktel ordered fighters launched they got a reaction.

"The Heavy Cruiser is firing at us!"

"Finally something," Ktel chuckled. He was a second away from regretting those words.

The Heavy Carrier shook violently and Ktel had to grab a console to remain standing.

"What did they shot us this?" he exclaimed.

"Fleet master, there weapons are three-hundred percent above normal power."

Ktel blinked. Who or what were they fighting who could do that. The next moment the Corvette fired. It targeted a Light Cruiser and Ktel stared in utter shock as the Light Cruiser was utterly obliterated in seconds by one single hit. How was he supposed to fight this?

"Fleet master, a few systems has gone dark."

"Fix them!"

"We don't know what's wrong yet. Sending a team to repair them."

Ktel could do little but watch as his fleet was slowly obliterated or put out of action. Three had been disabled this far. Several minutes went by with no progress. The fighters were completely ignored by the enemy.

A Sangheili turned to him.

"Fleet master."

"Yes?"

"The teams sent to repair the downed systems is no longer responding. We have lost contact with both teams."

…

 **Yorktown, Covenant Cruiser**

"There's gotta be more coming," Gate said. "Let's move out quickly."

"Hmph," Fox muttered. "I didn't even get to use my new pistol on him."

"Fox, grab that new pistol. We need to get it back for analyzing. See what capabilities these guys have."

She shined up. "Gladly, sir!"

"Now, we need to move."

On that they started moving quickly. Around the corner they ran into a mask breather. It looked utterly terrified and fumbled to drew its weapon. Fox was faster and fired the first pistol. The energy blast smashed through its head and killed it instantly. She squealed excitedly. It was an energy gun!

"Awesome!"

Gate hushed her.

"Sorry. But it was just sooooo awesome," she whispered. "Can I have the other too?" She asked, referring to the needle thing.

"No," Wolf said firmly.

Fox pouted slightly.

The next few seconds went by extremely fast. First screaming echoed before six of those mask breathers appeared with plasma pistols and those needle firing pistols and one was armed with some type of shoulder fired mortar weapon. Behind them came one of those large aliens but this time in orange armor instead of blue. The mask breathers fired widely at the team as they screamed and rushed at them.

"Kill the human filth!" The larger alien screamed as he fired a type of plasma rifle.

Gate leaped into cover behind a console along the wall and got out a grenade. Fox and Porter took cover around the corners in the four way junction and Stahl jumped into the opening into the storage room for cover. Wolf fired six rounds as she back tracked to the junction and screamed at the aliens with narrowed black eyes. She took down four of the mask breathers. Porter fired his P90 at the larger alien who obviously commanded the smaller soldiers. His slugs smashed into the large aliens shields and left him unharmed, although slightly staggered. He ducked to cover when purple needles were fired at him.

A gel projectile from the shoulder mounted mortar hit the floor and exploded, tearing the particular section up. it was just barely out of range from Gate. He pulled the pin of his grenade and threw it.

"Cover!" He warned his men.

"Look out!" One of the mask breathers screamed in panic. "Run a-way!"

The explosion killed both remaining mask breathers and left the large alien superior injured and with his personal shields disabled.

"Wolf, Porter, now!"

Porter and Wolf came out of cover slightly and fired several rounds into the alien. He cried out and dropped his rifle before falling backwards, dead.

"Tough bastard," Stahl breathed. She turned and took cover on the other edge of the door. "Behind us!"

Gate spotted another unit of aliens. Five mask breathers and one larger with mandibles in an orange badass looking armor. he roared and the smaller screamed some kind of pathetic war cry. Several shots went passed them from the right. Three aliens in blue armor were firing at Porter. From the left a strange third alien appeared. Two of them actually.

The aliens had both reptilian and bird-like features. The teeth were razor sharp and the jaw appeared shaped like that of a carnivore. They stood similarly to a digitigrade fashion. Both held shields and a plasma pistol in the other hand.

"Fox grenade to the right!" Gate yelled orders. "Wolf fall back to me and give Stahl covering fire! Porter fall back to me and cover the left corridor!" he hopes that the split second decision was the right one.

Fox lobbed a grenade at the blue armored aliens. "Take this assholes!"

She managed to kill one with the grenade but the other two made it into cover in time. Wolf stood against the wall, firing at the squad advancing on Stahl. She took down a mask breather with the first shot. Gate fired several rounds at the squad leaders head, getting his attention.

"Move!" Wolf cried out.

Stahl came out firing. She hit a mask breather and he went down. As she hurried backward to Gate and the others, Porter emptied his remaining half clip into the shield that the bird-like aliens held. It staggered. The other aimed and fired the plasma pistol at him. he dodged into cover. He quickly reloaded. Fox got down on one knee and put a slug through the skull of the staggered birdbrain.

Stahl felt immense pain when a plasma blast from the squads leader hit her chest. Her vest took the grunt of it but it still hurt like hell. She lost her footing and fell backwards. Given the pain she wagered it went through the vest to whatever extent.

"Maddie!" Fox cried out, horrified to see her fall.

Both sisters got up and emptied their clips into the squad. They took out the last three mask breathers and staggered the leader. He was critically injured and fell to one knee, dropping his rifle. He growled and drew a plasma pistol. Fox reloaded her assault rifle. unlike the others, she used a modified assault rifle that she had customized. It could easily be turned into a sniper rifle in seconds. While she reloaded Wolf pulled up a knife and threw it. It hit in the center of the aliens creepy-looking face. He collapsed into a dead pile.

Gate counted fifteen mask breathers and six birdbrains in total both in front and to the left appearing. Three more large aliens joined the two on the right.

Gate reached for his ear piece.

"Colonel Callahan, we need to get out of here, now!" He exclaimed. "Beam us to the infirmary we have a man down!"

The aliens were shocked when the human intruders disappeared in beams of light at the last moment. They had been close to overrunning them.

…

 **Covenant Assault Carrier _Sword of Serpents_**

Rtas Demmuda looked at the female standing in front of him. The major and minors on the bridge continued working, but they were obviously interested in hearing the conversation as much as anyone. Rtas wasn't comfortable working with the female. Heck, he didn't even know which species she was. She certainly looked human in shape, but he hadn't seen any human wearing that mask and those robes. No human he had ever met wore a silver mask over her face and black robes. She had a black chest plate and the edges of the robes were dark red. She wore a black hood over her head, making only the mask visible. His men was slightly anxious about her, which he understood. No Sangheili females served in the military. Plus, she looked damned human in shape, but no human apart from those blasted super soldiers could do what she did. No common human filth could take down six Stealth Sangheili in hand-to-hand combat. Definitely not in ten seconds.

"The Hierarchs are…" he chose his words carefully. "…quite, interested in this technology. This hyperdrive technology. If it is true, that it isn't a human technology, it would be acceptable to them." He took a step closer to her. "I don't know what you told them during that meeting they allowed you, but you convinced them. The Prophets allow the upgrade to our fleet, but it'll take time."

She rolled her eyes behind her mask.

"Obviously Fleetmaster. There is nothing human about the hyperdrive. It was constructed by my people, not humans. But remember, you'll be taking one month trip in minutes. Imagine taking a year's trip in below half an hour." She looked around the bridge for a moment. "I assume this means I get what I want."

Rtas nodded.

"Yes. The commission is your," he growled. He didn't like it one bit, but it was the Prophets will. "But, you spoke of a second demand, clarify it for me, now."

She shrugged.

"It's pretty damn simple, Fleetmaster. I want to kill the man to trapped me in the Augum galaxy seventy years ago," she said in her soft, but raspy voice. "I want to kill the love of my life once and for all." She turned around. "We've played this game for far too long. Someone has to die. And very soon. I'm aching to put him down first."

Rtas scoffed.

"Sure, sure. As long as you assist us in constructing one of these, hyperdrives. Just remember that Azzadira." He narrowed his eyes.

She simply responded with a casual nod. "Don't worry too much. When I'm done, the UNSC will be so technologically inferior they'll have no chance."

Rtas imagined it. With this technology they could put an army on one-hundred-thousand on any human world, and leave for reinforcements and be back in a few hours. The war would end far quicker than he or anyone anticipated. Finally. Given how long they war had been going on, he expected another decade or two, but it might be a few short years with hyperdrive engines.

"Do…" Rtas sighed. "…do you have any advice about the assault, concerning this ship to say aided in the defeat at the human colony?" He didn't like asking her, but she was his second in command now. The Prophets believed her military skill and tactical usefulness. They also bought into this different reality theory. He wasn't sure if he did, though. **But** …he had to trust in their judgement.

"You need a lot of heavy firepower to disable the _Aleppo_. Their weaponry makes them almost invincible if you run in blindly. If you know what you're doing, it's not that hard to take them down." She raised a finger. "But, you'll need to watch out for their tactics and weapons. They don't fight or act like you expect the UNSC forces to do. They are human, but not UNSC. Remember that and you'll win. DO not, underestimate them or Jovakhin. Especially, Jovakhin. You'll regret it."

Rtas snorted. "We can beat the filthy humans."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Then why haven't you won yet?" Her voice was sardonic. "Besides. He isn't human, like me."

He narrowed his eyes on her, but she didn't seem to care.

* * *

I have heavily edited this recently-2016-06-04. I think its a great improvement.

One of the reasons behidn this, is because I made a recent change to the storyarc. Nothnig you'll feel, but I just wanna let you know about all the same.

If you found it disjointed, it was suppose to be.


	2. Ch2 Contact Part 1

Universal Journey Chapter 2 Contact

 **USS** _ **Aleppo**_

 **1** **st** **day**

Benjamin was running through the ships corridors, making his way to the bridge to find out what had happened. His first suspicion was that they had been under attack and that was why the ship shook, but it had by now stopped shaking and was silent. Furthermore, Lt. Colonel Callahan weren't ordering battle stations yet. It could have been some kind of anomaly, possible. Any moment now he would find out.

He rushed onto the bridge.

Adriana Callahan sat in the command chair with Major Kevin Marks and Lieutenant Nicole Kyle by her sides. The blonde lieutenant was working on her console with her usual calm demeanor. Doctor Rodney McKay was keying a console along the wall across the bridge.

"No major damage, sir," he heard Marks inform her.

"According to sensors Bra'tac's motherships came through no worse for were," Rodney said.

"What the blazes happened, colonel?" Benjamin asked flat out.

Callahan turned and looked in his direction.

"A wormhole sneaked up on us, major," she gave him a short version. "We didn't pick it up before it was too late. It spit us out-somewhere." She turned to Rodney. "Rodney?"

He grumbled something quietly before responding.

"Readings doesn't make sense," he scratched the back of his head in annoyance. "Supposedly we're right where we were before the wormhole sucked us in."

"It spit us out in the same place?" Callahan asked, feeling a 'but' coming on though.

"No. But the coordinates are the same but only two of the three planets in this system is there. One is a frozen wasteland and the other is so close it is a boll of magma. P7X-2P6 is gone. No Jaffa settlement and no planet at all. The frozen planet is where it should be, but the magma planet has moved twenty-million kilometers."

Benjamin blinked. How was that possible? Callahan asked the question for him.

"How's that possible?"

"Uh-eh, well…" Rodney started hesitantly. "I don't know. But long range sensors acknowledging that Earth-or at least the system-is in the same place at it's supposed to be. Picking up strange activity around Dakara also with the long range sensors."

Great, more mysteries, Callahan thought. "Define strange?"

"A large amount of starships, approximately sixty-four to be precise."

Benjamin stepped further into the bridge, towards Rodney.

"But, Dakara was pretty much obliterated by the Ori years ago. There's nothing there now."

Rodney turned around with an annoyed expression.

"Yeah, therefore my use of the word _strange_ , Major Gate."

What the heck was going on? Callahan thought.

"Contact Bra'tac's Ha'tak."

"Aye, sir," Nicole Kyle affirmed. She keyed her console and the image of Bra'tac appeared on the screen.

"Colonel," he said. "I am glad you are alright. No injuries?"

"Just a few scrapes with bulkheads. Nothing mayor though. You alright?"

Bra'tac nodded in confirmation.

"I am. Do you know where we are?"

"Eh, McKay think we're still in the same system, it just changed a bit." God that sounded so stupid to actual say aloud. She kicked herself mentally. "Just one of the planets moved and the settlement with the Stargate is gone."

Bra'tac looked shocked over that information.

Right now Callahan was happier than ever that her ship was upgraded with four Asgard beam weapons, forty Railguns and twenty VLS launchers. Not to forget a compliment of twenty-five F-302s and two puddle jumpers. The USS _Aleppo_ was equipped with Naquadah enhanced nuclear weapons and a cloaking device. It had been created originally thanks to Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter and Rodney McKay partially with the use of Asgard and Ancient technology.

"Bra'tac," she said before he had time to say anything. "We're picking up starships around Dakara. I think it might be our best chance right now. Sense we have a cloaking device I suggest you keep your five Ha'tak's out of range until we know what we're dealing with."

He thought about it for a moment. He didn't like the idea of sending them in alone. If something went wrong it could take some time before he could assist. But of course, the _Aleppo_ was a strong little ship and was slightly bigger than most Tau'ri starships.

"Very well, colonel," he conceded.

"We're going to send a subspace message to Stargate Command before leaving. General Landry should respond within the hour."

Bra'tac nodded. "I dare admit, I have trouble understanding this. We have not moved, but at the same time, we have."

"I'm with you there," she said smiling. "Maybe the sensors are wrong," she shrugged. "Could be a coincidence and we're in another galaxy. I donno."

"At least if we were in another galaxy, it would make some sense and would be understandable that it was different. But, we can't be somewhere else and in the same position at the same time."

Benjamin turned around.

Two members from his team appeared on the bridge. Fox and Lance Corporal Ian Porter stood in the doorway.

"Major, what's going on?" Fox asked.

Fox didn't have any official rank, in the same manner as Teal'c had not had when he joined SG1 over ten years ago. Fox and her sister, Wolf had both joined the SGC and SG18. The sisters had joined at the fall of the Goa'uld and rise of the Ori. Fox was the younger of the sisters.

Bra'tac disappeared from the screen and Callahan turned to Lieutenant Kyle.

"Inform Mr Woolsey about what happened. I want him on the bridge as soon as possible."

"Aye, sir."

"We took a dive through a wormhole," Gate explain to his team members.

"Oh…fantastic," Fox said sarcastically. Within a moment the _Aleppo_ jumped to hyperspace.

Fox had an athletic built, pale skin and black hair fixed into a ponytail. Her white eyes focused on Gate. She was the teams marksman and she was extremely skilled in that regard. she was also skilled at close combat. She stood at about two heads shorter than Gate. Ian Porter was a man with emerald green eyes and fluffy dark brown hair. His hair wasn't exactly standard military cut.

 _ **Supposed**_ **Dakara system, twenty minutes later**

 _Aleppo_ entered the system on the edge by one of the planets moons. Rodney frowned as he looked at the screen of the console. With the cloak active they were on no risk of being seen. Richard Woolsey had made it to the bridge. He stood behind Callahan's chair.

"Oh."

"What?" Callahan asked. "What now?"

"Um…it's to green and flourish to be Dakara." He turned around to her. "Sorry, Callahan. Should have spotted that before on the sensors."

"Sir," Marks interrupted. "We're detecting weapons fire from the planet. Two fleets, blasting at each other."

"Damn," Rodney mumbled. "They're not holding back any punches either. Their giving everything they got."

"Who are they?" Callahan asked, keeping focused. "Lucian Alliance, Jaffa, who?"

Marks shook his head.

"Neither. We can't identify them. But we are scanning human life signs on the, eh…green bulky ships. We can't identify the other life signs of the other faction."

Callahan shifted in the slightly uncomfortable command chair and leaned forward. There wasn't too many advanced human civilizations in there galaxy. And by now, she felt like they should know of them already.

"On screen."

As the ships blockading the passage to the planet was dark green with bulky shapes, as if just slapped together with little thought and with focus on heavy armor instead of shields. The fleet assaulting had more slick and slender shapes with more purple colors. The largest of those ships were four kilometers from aft to stern. What appeared to be a weapons platform was torn to pieces by a barrage of blue plasma fire from them. A frigate sized purple hulled starship got a little too close to the enemy and was torn apart by a missile barrage from six different ships and squadrons of fighters and bombers. Some sort of giant slug was fired straight at it, ripping it to shreds.

"Should we intervene?" Gate asked.

"That hardly seems wise, major," Woolsey stated diplomatically.

"They're human after all, fighting aliens invading their planet," Gate stated. "Who knows what they'll do to them."

Woolsey looked at the tall African-American major.

"We have no idea why they are fighting, or even who they are. For all we know they started the war by slaughtering the other sides civilians."

Gate leaned forward toward Woolsey. "We can't just sit here, waiting."

"Enough," Callahan cut in. "Major, Mr Woolsey's right. We can't just meddle ourselves into every conflict we stumble upon. No reason to piss of another powerful enemy. We've done that so well already in the past. I'm not risking the safety of my crew in the hopes we chose the right side. What if we ally with genocidal maniacs?"

Gate had to agree with her argument. But he didn't like just sitting here. "Shouldn't we contact them?" He asked. Callahan was thinking the scenario over and consequences of any action. "If you do decided to wait, don't tell the winner we watched them get torn up without doing anything, huh."

"Just remember that they can track us if we contact them," Rodney reminded. "They can track the transmission back to our coordinates even if we are cloaked. So we better think this over." He looked directly at Callahan. "No going back."

"Noted," she responded. "Bring us in closer, Marks."

"Aye, sir."

"Not to close. Don't wanna get shot at."

"I'll do my best, sir."

They stopped one-hundred-thousand kilometers from the battlefield. They deactivated the cloak and raised shields to make sure no one could take a shot at them.

"Locate the flagship of both fleets."

A moment went by.

"Given the amount of chatter and tracing it, I have located the lead ships, colonel," Kyle informed.

"Hmm," she leaned back. "Contact the-"

"Sir!" Marks alerted.

"Damn," Rodney exclaimed. "Two ships from the assaulting fleets is heading towards us."

"Fine," Callahan said annoyed. "Contact the lead ship in their fleet than."

Kyle keyed in the command into her console. She shook her head.

"No response."

"Ok, open a channel." She rose from her seat and stepped forward. "This is Lt. Colonel Adriana Callahan of the USS _Aleppo_. Our intentions are peaceful. However if you continue on your course, you'll see that we can defend ourselves." She decided to return to her seat and looked at Kyle. "Anything?"

She shook her head. "They heard you, but ignored it."

"Power up Asgard weapons and prepare VLS missiles tubes and forward Railguns."

"Aye, sir."

"Shouldn't we leave?" Woolsey asked, worried. "Return to Bra'tac's position."

"Sense we have no idea what's going on or where we actually are, we will need help. My gut says the humans are in the right. They aren't attacking us anyway." She looked over her shoulder at him. "Bra'tac's just twenty minutes away if necessary."

"So call him. Twenty minutes is more than enough time for them to destroy this ship!"

"Sir, they're in firing range," Marks alerted.

"Contact them again, Kyle." The next second a plasma barrage was launched from the two incoming warships. Both were one kilometers in length. She turned to Marks. "Damage report."

"Minimal," he replied. "Shields down to ninety-two percent."

"Huh," Rodney mumbled, slightly surprised. "One of them seem pretty badly damaged already."

The hostile ships both maneuvered around them on opposite sides. They poured plasma onto Aleppo's shields. _Aleppo_ fired its railguns and missiles, holding back the heavier and powerful Asgard beam weapons. The hostile warships shields held against the rain of slugs and missiles. Although the shields were taking a greater pounding then _Aleppo's_ shields did. Callahan tried contacting them and ending the fighting without the destruction of any ships or any loss of lives. Again…there were no response.

"Target one of them and make it go away, Marks."

The four Asgard beam weapons were fired on one of the Cruiser sized ships circling around them. They quickly ripped through the shields and tore into the hull. They sized up the ship and tore it into pieces as it was engulfed in explosions.

"Target the other ships engines and weapons, but keep it intact."

"Aye, sir."

Callahan turned to look at gate over her shoulder.

"Get your team ready. I want to beam you over to see what we're up against."

"My teams will be glad to stretch their legs," Gate responded and smiled. "We'll be ready in five minutes."


	3. Ch3 Contact Part 2

Universal Journey Chapter 3 Contact

 **Covenant Cruiser**

In a beam of light five armored figures in black clothes and armor appeared in the corridor. Standing in a circle they aimed in all directions. Gate saw two small figures in masks and some kind of tanks of their backs, plus yellow armor. They stared horrified at them. Gate and Fox each fired a bullet, putting down both with a slug between the eyes. Wolf put a bullet in the head and the little alien collapsed.

Wolf had the same pale skin as her younger sister. Her hair was messy and spread out in every direction apart from the front. Her long hair reached down passed her shoulders. She looked around with her stern black eyes before lowering her P90.

"Area clear," Porter affirmed. The Lance Corporal lowered his rifle, turning to the teams last member. Maddie Stahl. The young medic smirked and looked back at him with her aqua blue eyes. "What the heck is that?"

She shrugged and walked up to the little alien.

"I have no idea," she responded. "But have a look, sir." He kneeled down beside it.

Gate, Porter and Wolf headed over while Fox kept an eye in the other direction for hostiles. Stahl touched the little dead aliens mask.

"It appears that he needs this mask to breath," she mused. "This tank on his back is for sure filled with-whatever substance he needs to breath."

"What's he breathing?" Wolf asked.

"No idea."

"Better question," Porter interjected. "What. Is he-it?"

"How should I know?" Stahl responded. "Never seen anyone like this before."

"Let's keep moving," Gate decided. "Wolf with me, on point. Porter you got the rear."

Both Wolf and Porter nodded in confirmation.

Gate reached for his ear piece. "Colonel, we've encountered hostiles, nothing we've seen before. About half our sides and they use breathing masks. Can't breathe the air apparently."

"Understood," Callahan replied. "Continue your search."

"Copy, SG18 out."

As they were moving down the corridor Fox had an idea.

"Hey, guys. If these guys can't breathe the air, why the fuck they don't have their own atmosphere onboard?"

"Well," Stahl started. "I would assume that the actually owners of the ship do breathe the air. And, before you ask, no. If these guys owned this ship, they would probably have the others use masks, not themselves. Basically they could be the Jaffa of their military. Some sort of subservient race. If the Goa'uld couldn't breathe the same air as the Jaffa, you'd be damned sure the Jaffa would still be the ones with masks, not the Goa'uld."

They turned a corner and stumbled upon another of the mask breathers.

Wolf put a bullet from her P90 in his skull.

"Make sense," Fox agreed to Stahl's theory, ignoring the dead mask breather. "They looked kinda spooked when we dropped in. But in their defense, we did drop in from thin air."

"Yeah," Wolf replied. "Maybe they don't have beaming technology here."

"Wherever here, is," her sister mumbled in response.

When they reached the dead mask breather Gate stopped and grabbed the pistol he had held. He studied it carefully before handing it to Stahl.

"What you make of it?"

She studied it carefully for a moment.

"Well," she started. "From first look, some kind of advanced energy weapon. Best way to find out is to use it next time we run into someone."

"Can I shoot then?" Fox asked excitedly.

Wolf smirked and shook her head.

"Sure," Stahl said smiling. She handed Fox.

They kept moving. Gate knew that although the shop was in disarray and they probably tried desperately to repair it, it would only be a matter of time before someone discovered the dead bodies. They continued down the corridor and keyed a panel on a door before Gate and Wolf went in aiming and ready to shoot anyone in view. Luckily for-whoever-they weren't inside. The room were filled with metal boxes stacked up along the walls and in the middle in a long line.

"Some sort of storage room," Gate stated the obvious.

They kept moving through and out the door on the other side. Wolf peeked out and gestured with two fingers that the corridor was clear. The next second they heard dark male voices. Gate pulled Wolf inside quickly enough so they missed her when walking around the corner. Porter, Fox and Stahl took up cover behind metal boxes in the room as Wolf and Gate stood on opposite sides of the door. When the two figures walked by, Wolf glanced out. She spotted two tall aliens with large thick mandibles and backwards bent knees and blue armor. they both seemed very agitated over something. Probably their situation right now. They were unable to do anything but wait. Unable to aid their comrades fighting the humans defending the planet. She wagered that these aliens were-as Stahl theorized-in command. The mask breathers were probably subservient to these larger ones.

Wolf cringed at how creepy-looking they were.

One of them stopped and slowly turned around. The other stopped too and turned to him. Wolf gripped the two Katana attached to her back and readied to use them. The alien stepped closer. Gate gestured to her to wait. Her black eyes glanced down, noticing him put his finger on the P90s trigger.

The alien drew a similar energy pistol as the third mask breather. When he stuck his head through the doorway, Wolf drew her two Katana and jabbed both of them through the aliens mandibles and straight through his skull. He cried out for a microsecond before she drew them out and the body collapsed with a large thumping noise. Gate got out of cover and aimed at the second large alien. The alien gave a loud battle cry. Gate cut him off by squeezing the trigger of his P90 and firing six bullets into his skull. Unfortunately they impacted some kind of personal shield the alien managed to activate before Gate shot him.

The alien drew a strange pistol and aimed it at Gate. He took cover behind the wall and purple needles struck the other side of the wall. Gate knew they had to take him out quickly or they'd get surrounded in this storage room. Wolf attached her left katana to her back and drew a 9mm. she stepped around the corner and fired eight bullets at the aliens head. She ran at the alien and jabbed it through the unprotected face, right through his mandibles. As she suspected her blade went through the shield. It only seemed to stop faster moving projectiles or-assumingly-plasma fire.

"There's gotta be more coming," Gate said. "Let's move out quickly."

"Hmph," Fox muttered. "I didn't even get to use my new pistol on him."

"Fox, grab that new pistol. We need to get it back for analyzing. See what capabilities these guys have."

She shined up. "Gladly, sir!"

"Now, we need to move."

On that they started moving quickly. Around the corner they ran into a mask breather. It looked utterly terrified and fumbled to drew its weapon. Fox was faster and fired the first pistol. The energy blast smashed through its head and killed it instantly. She squealed excitedly. It was an energy gun!

"Awesome!"

Gate hushed her.

"Sorry. But it was just sooooo awesome," she whispered. "Can I have the other too?" She asked, referring to the needle thing.

"No," Wolf said firmly.

Fox pouted slightly.

The next few seconds went by extremely fast. First screaming echoed before six of those mask breathers appeared with plasma pistols and those needle firing pistols and one was armed with some type of shoulder fired mortar weapon. Behind them came one of those large aliens but this time in orange armor instead of blue. The mask breathers fired widely at the team as they screamed and rushed at them.

"Kill the human filth!" The larger alien screamed as he fired a type of plasma rifle.

Gate leaped into cover behind a console along the wall and got out a grenade. Fox and Porter took cover around the corners in the four way junction and Stahl jumped into the opening into the storage room for cover. Wolf fired six rounds as she back tracked to the junction and screamed at the aliens with narrowed black eyes. She took down four of the mask breathers. Porter fired his P90 at the larger alien who obviously commanded the smaller soldiers. His slugs smashed into the large aliens shields and left him unharmed, although slightly staggered. He ducked to cover when purple needles were fired at him.

A gel projectile from the shoulder mounted mortar hit the floor and exploded, tearing the particular section up. it was just barely out of range from Gate. He pulled the pin of his grenade and threw it.

"Cover!" He warned his men.

"Look out!" One of the mask breathers screamed in panic. "Run a-way!"

The explosion killed both remaining mask breathers and left the large alien superior injured and with his personal shields disabled.

"Wolf, Porter, now!"

Porter and Wolf came out of cover slightly and fired several rounds into the alien. He cried out and dropped his rifle before falling backwards, dead.

"Tough bastard," Stahl breathed. She turned and took cover on the other edge of the door. "Behind us!"

Gate spotted another unit of aliens. Five mask breathers and one larger with mandibles in an orange badass looking armor. he roared and the smaller screamed some kind of pathetic war cry. Several shots went passed them from the right. Three aliens in blue armor were firing at Porter. From the left a strange third alien appeared. Two of them actually.

The aliens had both reptilian and bird-like features. The teeth were razor sharp and the jaw appeared shaped like that of a carnivore. They stood similarly to a digitigrade fashion. Both held shields and a plasma pistol in the other hand.

"Fox grenade to the right!" Gate yelled orders. "Wolf fall back to me and give Stahl covering fire! Porter fall back to me and cover the left corridor!" he hopes that the split second decision was the right one.

Fox lobbed a grenade at the blue armored aliens. "Take this assholes!"

She managed to kill one with the grenade but the other two made it into cover in time. Wolf stood against the wall, firing at the squad advancing on Stahl. She took down a mask breather with the first shot. Gate fired several rounds at the squad leaders head, getting his attention.

"Move!" Wolf cried out.

Stahl came out firing. She hit a mask breather and he went down. As she hurried backward to Gate and the others, Porter emptied his remaining half clip into the shield that the bird-like aliens held. It staggered. The other aimed and fired the plasma pistol at him. he dodged into cover. He quickly reloaded. Fox got down on one knee and put a slug through the skull of the staggered birdbrain.

Stahl felt immense pain when a plasma blast from the squads leader hit her chest. Her vest took the grunt of it but it still hurt like hell. She lost her footing and fell backwards. Given the pain she wagered it went through the vest to whatever extent.

"Maddie!" Fox cried out, horrified to see her fall.

Both sisters got up and emptied their clips into the squad. They took out the last three mask breathers and staggered the leader. He was critically injured and fell to one knee, dropping his rifle. He growled and drew a plasma pistol. Fox reloaded her assault rifle. unlike the others, she used a modified assault rifle that she had customized. It could easily be turned into a sniper rifle in seconds. While she reloaded Wolf pulled up a knife and threw it. It hit in the center of the aliens creepy-looking face. He collapsed into a dead pile.

Gate saw fifteen mask breathers and six birdbrains in total both in front and to the left appearing. Three more large aliens joined the two on the right.

Gate reached for his ear piece.

"Colonel Callahan, we need to get out of here, now!" He exclaimed. "Beam us to the infirmary we have a man down!"

The aliens were shocked when the human intruders disappeared in beams of light at the last moment. They had been close to overrunning them.


	4. Ch4 Friendly or hostile

Universal Journey Chapter 4 Friendly or hostile

 _ **Aleppo**_ **infirmary**

Porter and Wolf stood beside Stahl's bed. Stahl groaned, more in annoyance than pain.

"Don't feel bad, alright," Wolf told her with a reassuring smile. "We all get shot at some point." She added a casual shrug.

"But I was the only one now," Stahl replied.

"You should have seen Porter," Wolf gestured towards him. "He took three Ori blasts right up front ones."

"Hurt like fuck, but I made it out. Thanks you them and SG1 plus SG2," Porter added. "We all get hit at some point. You're a medic, so you should know that. I mean, you patched up Gate and Fox in the field, plus dozen or so other guys. What? You thought you were better than the rest of us?" He grinned. "Just be happy we got out of there. Almost got killed. Thank god for Asgard beaming tech."

Wolf snickered and Stahl had to smirk a little.

"Thank the Asgard for their beaming tech, indeed," she mumbled.

"Sorry to break it up," the doctor said. He was a middle ages man with dark brown receding hair. His name was Magnus Ericson. "She needs a check up to make sure there no more internal injuries."

"Got it doc," Wolf complied. "Let's check whats up on the bridge, Porter."

"Keep her comfy," Porter said before heading after Wolf.

"Oh, I'll have her back in action next time you fight hordes of alien," Ericson assured with a smile.

On the bridge Gate was elaborating on the encounter on the enemy ship. It wasn't a long elaboration sense Callahan was contacting the human flagship. Rodney was incredibly interested in the alien weaponry brought back. He was a little upset they had only brought three examples. Kyle was in the process of cutting through the heavy interference to establish a connection. Their communications were quite different so she needed to fix a few things and make it compatible.

"So, their some sort of collective of alien species?" Callahan inquired. "Or maybe these, mandible faced giants conquered those mask breathers and birdbrains, as you put it?"

Gate shrugged. "Sorry. Could be either, but I have no idea. They seemed to definitely be in charge though. From what little we saw. The could be some sort of upper or officers class just the same."

Callahan put her hand on her chin. "This is very intriguing. Too bad we've been forced to fight them. Kyle how's it going?"

Kyle looked up.

"Got is, sir. Gotta wait till they respond."

Callahan shifted in her command chair. Suddenly an image appeared on the screen. The image had a man in his late fifties with brown-grey hair. He had broad shoulders and a scowled on his face.

"Finally we're getting somewhere," Callahan said under her breath. "I am-"

"-Identify yourselves," the man interrupted her. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Explain why you are in UNSC space. I have never seen a ship like your before. I have also never seen a ship that size survive an assault from two Light Cruisers. Granted…one was damaged already from our MAC batteries. Not to mention that we never detected any slipspace activity."

"Nice fellow," Rodney mumbled under his breath. This guy asked every damned question before even giving his name or letting them introduce themselves.

Callahan raised her hands. "Ok easy please. If you try not to interrupt, I was about to introduce myself and my ship." She cleared her throat. "I am Lt. Colonel Adriana Callahan. This is the _USS Aleppo_ and our intentions are peaceful. May I know who I'm speaking to?"

The man let out a sigh.

"I am Admiral Liam McKenzie, commander of the Light Carrier _Open Heavens_ , task force 230 and commander of the defense of Yorktown," he said in a deep voice, with a hint of suspicion.

"Greetings admiral," Callahan said politely. "I'd explain everything to you but first, can we offer assistance to secure your planet from the assaulting forces?"

McKenzie scratched his shaved chin.

"If you assist us, I'd be willing to listen to your explanation for intruding on our space."

"Tell me," she leaned forward. "Who are we fighting, exactly?"

"As if you don't know," he muttered under his breath. "The Covenant," he said loudly.

"Thank-" McKenzie cut the transmission. "Hmph. Nice guy."

Gate snorted.

"Not a trusting fella, huh," Rodney commented.

Woolsey frowned deeply. "What happened to the defensive position you had earlier?" He demanded.

She looked over her shoulders. "We have to choose a side Mr Woolsey and I prefer the humans rather than the psychos that attacked us for no reason."

"It is them being attacked," Gate added his agreement.

"Rodney," Callahan said. "Prepare a Naquadah enhanced nuke. We'll beam it straight through the shields of that Covenant flagship. That should make 'em run."

 **Light Carrier** _ **Open Heavens**_

McKenzie's second in command Commander Benjamin Ricardo stood beside him.

"You think there insurrectionists?" He asked.

"Normally I would say yes, but I've never seen technology like that before. Those beams they used."

"I've never seen technology like that either, sir. It's way more advanced than the Covenant, least from what I saw."

The admiral nodded. It was possible the insurrectionists had simply stumbled upon advanced technology, but his gut told him that wasn't the case. His gut told him these people were on their side and somewhat friendly. He had never seen uniforms as those worn by the bridge crew he saw. But he was ready to deal with them if necessary.

"Prepare that Fireteam Sphinx and two units of marines to board that ship," he ordered.

"Aye, sir," Ricardo affirmed.

He hoped he didn't have to board them, but if necessary he would confiscate it and arrest the crew. The UNSC could definitely use such an advanced warship. They could take it apart and use the crew to learn everything about it.

He turned around and noticed Colonel Wadsworth and Major Dare on the bridge. He turned around and groaned and rolled his eyes. Great. Just great. The ONI was just what he needed. He was certain the ONI had pleasant and good people, but he didn't count either the major or colonel as amongst them. The major was a, by-the-book, guy and had a cold demeanor to the life of UNSC soldiers. They were a resource to exploit until it was used up and then it should be thrown away. Maybe that sounded too cold, surely no one was that cold and heartless. Wrong. He had said so himself at two occasions. He clearly had a superior view of himself and the ONI. He also despised being questioned or undermined. At least Colonel Wadsworth was a somewhat nicer man. He wasn't as cold. At least he was occasionally more pleasant to talk to. But…he did believe in the sacrifice of anyone or anything to achieve a greater cause.

There was a rumor going around. McKenzie hoped it wasn't true. The rumor said that-two years ago-Wadsworth had ordered the sacrifice of a colony of one-hundred-thousand civilians to save eighteen military ships and thirty-thousand soldiers. Supposedly either the soldiers of civilians could be saves, not both, and so he had decided that the military lives was of more importance. He hoped it wasn't true, but he wasn't at all surprised that he might be capable of it.

Why did Greystone have to die? Poor woman. Lt. Colonel Regina Greystone had been the ONI officer assigned to his ship last year. Unfortunately she died in battle with Covenant forces. She was an extremely pleasant woman. A good officer who cared for everyone under her command and someone he trusted extremely.

"Sir!" Ricardo exclaimed.

McKenzie was shocked to see the Covenant Battleship get torn to shreds. But how? The massive explosion that tore it apart-where did it come from?

"What happened?" he demanded.

"The explosion came from inside their shields but not inside the ship itself. The explosion came from outside the ship's hull," Ricardo started. "My first guess would be a nuke, but it's too powerful for that. Wasn't one of ours, that's for sure."

McKenzie stared bewildered at the screen. Was it the new ship? Who else, right? But how? How did they get passed their shields and how did they. Some sort of incredibly advanced transportation technology? If true, it must be very advanced to get through Covenant shields.

"Push the offensive;" he barked. "We'll seize the initiative when they're in chaos."

Perhaps they could negotiate for this technology? And that beam weapons technology they used earlier to slice through the Covenant Light Cruisers. This could turn the tide of the war and save the UNSC from the brink of utter defeat.

"Aha," Colonel Wadsworth's Australian accented voice said. "So this is that ship I heard of."

"That was fast," McKenzie commented dryly.

"And why haven't you commanded it to stand down yet?"

McKenzie slowly turned to him. "Excuse me?" He blinked.

Wadsworth wagged his finger. "No, right. We need a smart Ai from planetside to disable it. Than a boarding party will seize it and capture or-in necessarily-kill the crew." The Tanned skinned bold man turned to Major Dare. The major was a tall man with brown thick hair and light green eyes. "Get a board-"

" **EXCUSE** me, **Colonel** ," McKenzie interrupted loudly. "If you haven't noticed we're in the middle of a battle and they're assisting us in protecting Yorktown."

"You're doing fine, admiral," Wadsworth told him with a smiled. He opened his mouth to continue but the admiral didn't give him the chance.

"Colonel. The _Aleppo_ just blew the enemy Flagship out of the sky basically in seconds-" he narrowed his eyes decisively. "-and they are beating the crap out of a pair of Light Carriers right now. You have no say on this matter during an emergency and I'm sure the defense council down there will agree…this qualifies as such."

McKenzie glanced at the doors as heavy footsteps echoed. A large red and black armored figure appeared on the bridge. The figure looked around from behind golden visors before heading for the officers. Two more figures in similar armored appeared behind the first.

"Commander," McKenzie's voiced echoed across the bridge.

"Sir," the armored figure responded with a stern female voice.

She approached the four officers.

"Please escort the colonel and major off my deck." Wadsworth glared slightly at but, but accepted defeat. Major Dare glared death glares at the admiral who dared to question the ONIs authority. If he could, McKenzie suspected he would have killed him right there. "I have a battle to finish." He turned away and focused his attention back on the battle.

"Understood," the female voice confirmed.

The three Spartans headed towards the scene and the one referred to as commander put a hand on Major Dare's shoulder.

"You heard the admiral," she said.

Major Dare was about to shake her hand off and glare at the Spartan, but got himself under control when Wadsworth gave him a look.

"Of course," he said. "Let's go, major."

The two filed out passed the Spartans. They met a fourth in the doorway. She had the same armor as the rest of them. Sphinx leader turned to Admiral McKenzie.

"Sir."

"I'm happy to say the missions been scrapped, commander," he said.

"Sir?" She said.

"That was supposed to be your mission," he said pointed at the screen. Specifically at _Aleppo_. "Luckily they seem to be friendly enough to help us. Could be a potential ally."

"Who are they?" She asked.

"That, commander, is the question. Ricardo will prepare a briefing on what we know so far. Which isn't much."

One of the Spartans whistled as _Aleppo_ destroyed a Heavy Covenant Cruiser. "That's some weaponry," he mumbled impressed.


	5. Ch5 Impressions

Universal Journey Chapter 5 Impressions

 _ **Open Heavens**_ **bridge**

McKenzie studied _Aleppo_ as the last Covenant ship had been destroyed by a combined salvo from them and three UNSC ships. He was quite impressed by them. Sense they had helped save the colony from being invaded and potentially slaughtered, he was giving them the benefit of the doubt that they were friendly. The ONI wouldn't like it sense seizing the vessel would probably be a faster way to get the technology. But, they also needed someone that could use it and these people might be able to turn the tide of war. The latest report he read said that the Covenant had destroyed three mining colonies. It looked like they might try out a new tactics, such as destroying their resources and bleeding them dry.

"We're being hailed by the _Aleppo_ ," Ricardo alerted.

"Put them through," McKenzie said.

Colonel Callahan appeared on the screen. Behind her stood a man with dark receding hair with glasses in a suit and a man with black robes and a black chestplate of metal underneath. He had a hood raised over his head. His robes had red edges. He had a dark grey metal mask covering his face. He looked like a real mystery.

"Admiral," Callahan started. "I think this is where I explain where we're from and how the heck we got here."

"I wouldn't say no to that," McKenzie responded.

Callahan leaned forward. "My ship were torn through a wormhole. Don't ask how, but we did. We detected an anomaly and before we knew it, we were being sucked in. We have no idea where we are or how we get home. You see, we detected ships here on our long range sensors and decided to investigate, which is how we ended up here." She took a deep breath. "The most brilliant guy onboard has an idea that make sense to me, might be hard to swallow for you though." She looked into his eyes. "It is possible we crossed into an alternate reality."

"Hmm. Sense you helped saving Yorktown, I'll accept that your explanation _could_ be true. How about if you send us your sensor data? Our experts can look it over and we'll see from there. But I doubt my superiors will accept the alternate reality idea as willingly as me though."

Callahan nodded and turned to someone off screen. "Rodney."

"On it," a male voice replied.

"Can you tell us exactly where we are, admiral?"

"You are above the Yorktown colony. In United Nations Space Command controlled space. That's what UNSC stands for by the way. It is the title of our military body." He straightened himself. "Those alien you just fought, the Covenant. They're hell-bent of wiping out humanity. We have been at war for decades and honestly colonel, it isn't going well. If you hadn't shown up, we'd have lost here too. The planets would have been glassed. You saved five million lives."

It was silent for a moment as Callahan took in the sudden burst of information.

"Glass? Meaning that they'd wipe the population out from orbit?" didn't sound entirely unlike what the Goa'uld occasionally did to planets that resisted.

McKenzie nodded. "I'd like to continue this short conversation but I prefer if we perhaps meet in person?" He added a warm smile.

Callahan nodded after a moment and returned the smile. "Agreed admiral. I can meet you onboard your ship if you prefer."

He nodded again. "Feel free to bring a small security team. In fact I insist on it."

"Very well, I won't argue. We will take a shuttle over in half an hour. I also have to inform you, a few of our ships lay out of range. I didn't want to bring them here until we knew what we were dealing with."

"I understand," the admiral replied calmly. "I'll be waiting to send coordinates to the specific hangar for landing. Good day colonel."

With that the channel closed.

 _ **Aleppo**_ **bridge**

Callahan stood up and turned around. She clapped her hands together.

"Well, Mr Woolsey, as a representative of the IOA and the commander of Atlantis, I suggest you join me."

He nodded without hesitancy. "I would argue it if you didn't suggest it. I do have experience and this is kind of my field-as yours is firing and blowing other ships up."

Callahan smirked and turned to Gate and the last passenger onboard. The black robed man with the grey metal mask.

"I could use your company, Jovakhin," she said.

He bowed his head. "At your service Adriana," he replied in his dark and raspy voice. "I'd love to assist you."

She turned to Kyle. "Contact Bra'tac. Tell him to get his ass over here. I think he'll want to join us."

Gate looked at the man. He was a bit of a mystery to him. He didn't know a lot about him, other than he worked with the SGC and fought against the Goa'uld, Ori and even the Wraith in the Pegasus galaxy a while. He had no idea where he had been born. He wasn't from Earth, that much he knew. But he did trust him to have his back. He was a very skilled soldier and had even assassinated three Goa'uld personally during his time with the SGC.

"Get your team ready, Major Gate."

"Yes, colonel," Gate said, nodding in confirmation. The dark skinned bald man turned to his team, who were also on the bridge. "Wolf, Fox, Porter, you know the drill. Gear up. Leaving in thirty."

Fox looked out the front viewport.

"This. Will. Be very…interesting," she voiced her opinion.

"Come on sis," Wolf called to her as she started leaving the bridge.

Jovakhin stood silently and watched the UNSC fleet and the rubble from UNSC and Covenant ships outside the viewport. He tilted his head and turned his attention to the planet. Yorktown, had the admiral called it. Yorktown. He had a strange feeling. Something strange, as if…as if their troubles had only begun. As usual he trusted his _gut_ , as the Tau'ri called it.

"You, ehm… coming?" Woolsey asked hesitant on how to refer to him.

Jovakhin turned his head to him. He turned his whole body to him after a second and bowed. "Of course, Richard."

Gate shook his head. This guy had a strange tendency to refer to some people with their first names spontaneously. Wolf said it was a sign of respect or friendship. It could be either and was common amongst his people. Whoever, _his_ , people were.

"Yes, well have fun," Rodney said, waving them off with one hand as he turned away.

"I am sure we will entertain ourselves, Rodney," Jovakhin replied.

Gate and Jovakhin joined Woolsey and Callahan through the corridors.

"I assume we're taking a puddle jumper," Woolsey said.

"Yep," Callahan replied. "I don't wanna show off our Asgard beaming technology just yet. Need an ace in the hold in things doesn't go according to plan."

Gate arched his eyebrows. "Does it ever?"

Callahan and Woolsey both had to agree. Things never seemed to go their way. Something was always going wrong and something unexpected happened. Jovakhin was expecting thing to go wrong. It was that strange feeling he had. He weren't sure what it was. Was it a betrayal by the UNSC? A Covenant attack? Or something else. It could be either at this point. It couldn't be her. Not in another galaxy, in another reality. It had been seventy years, she was expected to return eventually.

In the armory, Gate was surprised-as always-at how much stuff Jovakhin could carry with him. Under those robes of his, he had four 9mms, two Zat'nik'tel, a SMG, that cool energy sword of his and on his back he wielded an M16 rifle.

He only had his P90, a few grenades, a combat knife and a 9mm. Porter had the same composition. Fox had her assault rifle that could be turned into a sniper rifle in under fifteen seconds. She had a machete, two knives, grenades, a 9mm and smoke grenades. Her sister had a somewhat similar composition of weaponry. A P90, a 9mm, grenades, both regular and smoke, four knives and two katana.'

Stahl had a P90, 9mm, grenades and a medkit, although she wasn't going on this mission. She was staying in the infirmary to recover from her injuries, although minor ones.

Woolsey was obviously unarmed, as was Callahan. Gate was bringing an extra handgun in case they needed to shot their way out. if nothing she could probably borrow one of the walking armory named Jovakhin.

To say the UNSC was astonished and surprised by the Ha'taks arrival was almost unnecessary to say. The shape of the ships surprised them greatly. Callahan imagined she and Bra'tac would have some interesting questions to answer on that. _Why do they look like pyramids?_ It was one of the first questions she imagined someone would ask. Off course, if Rodney's alternative reality theory was right, these people might never have met the Goa'uld. That would be a great relief if they didn't have to worry about some terrifying Goa'uld Motherships showing up in orbit suddenly.

Onboard the _Open Heavens_ Fireteam Sphinx waited with Admiral McKenzie, Commander Ricardo and Colonel Wadsworth. Wadsworth had argued for a polity of disarming the _Aleppo_ team when they arrived, but McKenzie had shot him down. He knew that personally, in their shoes he wouldn't have agreed with his security team being disarmed, especially after he told them to bring one. He didn't fully trust the ONI not to try pull something off behind his back.

The visitors arrived in a strange little shuttle craft. It looked a whole lot more advanced than their own ship, which interested Wadsworth greatly. McKenzie was sure he already plotted away to get his hands of one of those. The craft landed with the rear end towards the group. As the rear hatch of the shuttle craft lowered the first figure he noticed was an elderly looking man with a silver grey cloak and silver armor. he had a white little beard around his mouth and below his nose. He was probably the commander of those pyramid starships. Next to him walked Callahan. The tan skinned woman's dark blue eyes locked with his for a moment as they walked towards them. She had that warm smile of hers on her lips.

Beside her walked that middle aged man with glasses and receding hair. He fiddled with his color slightly for a moment. Behind them came the robed man with the strange metal mask and four soldiers. The robed man had an assault rifle hanging over his back. They were dressed in all black. One of them was an African-American bald man with an assault rifle of a kind if hand. There were two women, both with black hair and pale skin. The tallest of them had long messy hair and golden eyes. She was athletically built and with a slender frame. The other had white eyes and equally athletic in built. The first wielded an assault rifle similar to that of the first man, while the other woman had a more customized looking rifle. The last man was a man with short dark brown fluffy hair and emerald green eyes.

He noticed how the four soldiers eyes them carefully. They eyed the four Spartans carefully. The African-American man reached for his ear-probably an earpiece-and said something. Giving the others orders probably, putting him in charge of the unit.

"Admiral McKenzie, it's good to meet in person," Callahan extended her hand and he accepted it.

"Agreed colonel," he greeted. "The pleasure's all mine."

Callahan turned to the man with glasses. He smiled and reached forward and shook McKenzie's hand.

"I am Richard Woolsey, IOA," he introduced himself. "That the International Oversight Committee."

"Yes, they oversee our part of the military," Callahan added, intentionally being quite vague. She didn't want to tell them too much about the SGC and Earth. She had a suspicion that-sense they were human-what if they were from this realities version of Earth. At least she could hold some things back until she knew they all accepted the alternative reality idea entirely. This is Master Bra'tac of the Jaffa Nation, those are his Ha'taks outside," she explained. "And…this is Jovakhin." She moved on and introduced the robed man.

He bowed his upper body.

"Admiral."

McKenzie bowed his head back in respect.

"That's an interesting name," Wadsworth cut in.

"Colonel, Mr Woolsey, master Bra'tac," McKenzie cut him off. "This is Colonel Brian Wadsworth of the Office of Naval Intelligence, or ONI for short." He then turned to Ricardo. "This is my second in command, Commander Benjamin Ricardo."

Wadsworth didn't appreciate being interrupted.

"Among my people is it not a strange name," Jovakhin answered Wadsworth's statement. "You don't expect everyone across the galaxy and across realities to name the same boring names, do you? Bob, Frank, Anna, Adriana."

McKenzie noticed how Callahan visibly frowned at that last name and glared softly at him for a moment. Sense it was her name, Jovakhin probably added it to tease. He withheld a chuckle at the thought.

"If you follow me, we'll make our way to the meeting room," he said.

"Gladly," she replied.

The meeting room was a ten meter long room with grey walls and a table in the middle. Callahan sat down with Wooley on one side and Bra'tac on the other. Jovakhin stood behind her, as did SG18. On the other side McKenzie sat down with Ricardo and Wadsworth. The Spartans remained standing behind them. Wadsworth was less than pleased with the security team. He had made sure Major Dare stood ready with twenty ONI security officers to move in if necessary. Their orders were to shot to kill on sight, given by Dare, not Wadsworth.

For the first half an hour they discussed the UNSC, who they were in detail, who the _Aleppo_ crew was and where exactly they came from. Wadsworth shot a few questions about their technology, but got very little back for it. Although, Callahan did reveal that they had cloaking technology and some kind of beam weapons, which origin she didn't explain. Off course, the hyperdrive technology was a shock to the UNSC delegation. Slipspace wasn't nearly as fast. From Yorktown, a trip to Earth would take months, but with a hyperdrive, it could take less than a day, perhaps even hours. They were quite impressed by the Naquadah enhanced nuclear bombs. They had used it against the Flagship. Unfortunately they explained that Naquadah was-obviously needed, something the UNSC had never heard of before. It might not even exist in their galaxy. They asked about the defense platform they had used, which got blown up, but McKenzie didn't want to talk much about it. He didn't want to reveal too much.

Bra'tac explained who his people were and gave a short version of the Jaffa's struggle for freedom. He was-like Callahan-hesitant to say much about their technology and how it worked. McKenzie understood that. They would do the same, did the same. When Ricardo explained the MAC he gave a shorter version, holding back details. They then discussed the wormhole and if they could get back. To which the answer was, no, the wormhole was gone.

Mr Woolsey talked about an exchange of information and possibly technology. That was something McKenzie and Wadsworth agreed to. In principle at least. McKenzie considered what they should ask for. He couldn't just ask for everything, that wasn't acceptable. They would never agree to that. Maybe they could ask for the hyperdrive technology and some regular weapons, assuming they had anything they didn't have. A scan had revealed a small amount of Covie tech onboard, they could ask-or demand, if necessary-for them to hand it over. It was a start and starting small was probably a good idea. In return they could provide intelligence and information on the Covenant, their technology, a safe harbor and possibly an alliance. Hopefully he could sell the idea to Yorktown's joint chiefs, and before Wadsworth got a hold on his superiors and tried to get ONI full access and authority in this matter. He was slightly worried what the ONI wanted to do with the ships and their crew.

Callahan considered possibly providing them with their hyperdrive technology, zat tech-assuming they could refers engineer it. If they could study those Covenant plasma pistols, maybe a weapon with combined technology could be constructed. The beaming tech-who was a secret still-was obviously off the table, as was the beam weapons, it gave them a technological advantage she didn't want to lose. The weapons they captured could be turned over to the ONI to study, although Rodney wouldn't like it. Maybe they could keep one of the plasma pistols. Construct their own combined version with zat'nik'tel tech involved. In return they would ask for all available data on the Covenant and an alliance between them. They needed help to survive out here.

"Alright, let's see if I got this right," Woolsey said, raising his right hand palm. "The Covenant technology is based on ancient technology from a race long gone-these Forerunners-and sense their religious beliefs declare that same technology holy, they don't upgrade it or improve it in any way."

Ricardo nodded.

"That's right. They don't care to fix problems we exploit or try to recover our tech to find a way to beat us. If they did that and upgrade their tech, this war would probably be over already. They barely understand all of it. Some of it, they can barely operate and even less so, us efficiently. But sense its holy, that doesn't matter."

"I wish the Goa'uld had shared these beliefs," Bra'tac mumbled.

"Their tactics are often based on killing as many humans as possibly," Wadsworth said. "Not victory. As long as they kill all, say, fifteen-thousand people of a planet, fifty-thousand casualties are acceptable. Sense most of these will be grunts, drones and jackals. These aren't as valued by the Covenant hierarchy as brutes or elites."

McKenzie raised his hand before Woolsey could reply.

"I realize those titles meant nothing to you."

"Admiral," Callahan said. She gestured to Gate. "Major Gate led a team onboard a Covenant Light Cruiser and encountered hostiles. He could recognize some of them if you explain who they are and it would give us a better understanding of who we're up against."

McKenzie nodded and looked at Wadsworth.

"You want the honors, sense you brought them up."

He nodded slowly.

"Very well. Grunts are a nickname for the Unggoy, little methane breathers with a tank on their back." He looked at Gate. "You probably encountered them. They are the basic light infantry of the Covenant army and provide most of the manpower."

"We spotted them. Killed them pretty easily," Gate said, remembering the mission-short as it was.

Wadsworth leaned over slightly.

"They aren't well treated by the rest of the Covenant. Their on the bottom of the hierarchy and the least important. The next race, the drones as we call them are bug-like flying things, they like swarming their enemies in large numbers, flying overhead."

Gate shook his head.

"Never saw that."

"The jackals are birdlike-"

"Legs bent backwards, feathers, tend to use energy shields?" Fox interjected.

Wadsworth looked slightly annoyed at her. Both Gate and Callahan sent her a disapproving glare. When she looked at Wolf, she was also glaring at her.

"That, is correct, and they don't share the religious beliefs of the others. Consider them mercenaries," Wadsworth continued. "If you saw elites, you probably didn't see any brutes. They don't play well together. The elites are large creatures with back bent knees and large mandibles."

"We those," Gate affirmed. "Had personal shields. Large bastards."

"Scary lookin' freaks," Fox mumbled, slightly too loud. She earned a glare from Gate, again, but a chuckle from one of the Spartans.

"They are that ma'am," the Spartan designated as Warrant officer Pierre 231.

Fox shined up at being called _ma'am_. Wolf rolled her eyes.

Jovakhin started pondering. If these Unggoys were treated so badly, maybe they could be considered to chance sides. They probably wouldn't join the UNSC sense they had been killing each other, but maybe a new group of people. If they could rear the Covenant's greatest military resource from them-their most expendable troops-than the war could be grounded to a halt and they would have no other choice but to negotiate with the UNSC. The Aleppo could serve as neutral territory-kinda-for any negotiation. They could outrun anything either side had if attacked and could keep the delegates safe.

"The brutes, giant pale apelike two toed primitives called Jiralhanae," Wadsworth finished. "I'll have more detailed information sent to you."

"Thank you, colonel," Callahan said appreciatively.

Jovakhin remained silent through the meeting.


	6. Ch6 Cooperation

Universal Journey Chapter 6 Cooperation

 _ **Open Heavens**_ **, admirals office**

 **4** **th** **day**

McKenzie sat behind his desk and looked over aftermath reports from the battle that occurred three days ago. They were still cleaning up the wreckages after it. The _Aleppo_ had assisted in this regard. He was still waited for what the Joint chiefs down on Yorktown would decide, or more exactly the folk back home. The news had been sent to Earth and Lord Hood had-apparently-taken a personal interest in the reports about _Aleppo_ and their efforts to repel the Covie invasion. It was now in their hands. Wadsworth had sent his own transmission home to his ONI superiors. They definitely wanted a piece of the cake. Actually they wanted all of it, but Lord Hood would never allow the ONI to get full control and authority over the _Aleppo_ situation.

The Yorktown joint chiefs had granted a few of the points of the treaty and pretty much signed it. In general Earth was agreeing to a treaty, but the problem was, which treaty. It depended of which points they agreed on, added or denied, but this far the UNSC would provide _Aleppo_ with a virtually unlimited supply of medicine, food and munitions. Specifically missiles for their VLS launchers. A load of forty had already been handed over to _Aleppo_ , which Callahan thanked them for. They had also been granted data which contained some basic Covenant intelligence. A lot of higher ups were outraged over the idea of handing intelligence over to them, thankfully none of them would make the decision in the end.

If the treaty was granted, the UNSC would gain advanced technology. McKenzie himself was very interested in these _zat-nicky-things_ weapons and whatever those _staff weapons_ were. It was something the forces under master Bra'tac's command would arrange, plus some zat-whatever's from the _Aleppo_. But even more exciting. Their leading scientist, Doctor Rodney McKay talked about a project to combine zat-whatever's and Covenant plasma pistols into one far improved weapon. The greatest problem was that these energy weapons was run on crystals that existed in their reality, but that could probably be fixed with Covenant technology and good old McKay ingenuity-in Doctor McKay's opinion anyway. On another point, they had agreed to upload data on Naquadah, to allow the UNSC to search for it and if they would find it, they would assist them in how to create Naquadah enhanced nukes. It would be a great advantage in payload over their old nukes.

They weren't giving up their beam weapons or cloaking technology yet, but it time. Callahan had conceded to him yesterday and admitted that they possessed transporter technology. It was how they were able to destroy the covies flagship. He felt bad for it though. He had pushed quite hard and Callahan was less than happy when she and Bra'tac departed from the lunch they had together.

He started reading a report from Ricardo. It was about Major Dare and was an unofficial report. Major Dare had been quite outspoken these last few days. He wanted _Aleppo's_ and the pyramid-no wait-Ha'tak ship's crew executed and their technology and ship confiscated. McKenzie shook his head and closed his eyes. Sense he joined the ONI, Dare had beaten the crap out of seven people for talking back to him. Two of them had died later because of their injuries. How he was still in the service was hard to understand. Good connections probably.

Ricardo came through the door.

"Sorry sir, but General Hathaway is contacting you. It's about the _Aleppo_ treaty."

 **Covenant Assault Carrier** _ **Sword of Serpents**_

Rtas Demmuda looked at the female standing in front of him. The major and minors on the bridge continued working, but they were obviously interested in hearing the conversation as much as anyone. Rtas wasn't comfortable working with the female. Heck, he didn't even know which species she was. She certainly looked human in shape, but he hadn't seen any human wearing that mask and those robes. No human he had ever met wore a silver mask over her face and black robes. She had a black chest plate and the edges of the robes were dark red. She wore a black hood over her head, making only the mask visible. His men was slightly anxious about her, which he understood. No Sangheili females served in the military. Plus, she looked damned human in shape, but no human apart from those blasted super soldiers could do what she did. No common human filth could take down six Stealth Sangheili in hand-to-hand combat. Definitely not in ten seconds.

"The Hierarchs are…" he chose his words carefully. "…quite, interested in this technology. This hyperdrive technology. If it is true, that it isn't a human technology, it would be acceptable to them." He took a step closer to her. "I don't know what you told them during that meeting they allowed you, but you convinced them. The Prophets allow the upgrade to our fleet, but it'll take time."

She rolled her eyes behind her mask.

"Obviously Fleetmaster. There is nothing human about the hyperdrive. It was constructed by my people, not humans. But remember, you'll be taking one month trip in minutes. Imagine taking a year's trip in below half an hour." She looked around the bridge for a moment. "I assume this means I get what I want."

Rtas nodded.

"Yes. The commission is your," he growled. He didn't like it one bit, but it was the Prophets will. "But, you spoke of a second demand, clarify it for me, now."

She shrugged.

"It's pretty damn simple, Fleetmaster. I want to kill the man to trapped me in the Augum galaxy seventy years ago," she said in her soft, but raspy voice. "I want to kill the love of my life once and for all." She turned around. "We've played this game for far too long. Someone has to die. And very soon. I'm aching to put him down first."

Rtas scoffed.

"Sure, sure. As long as you assist us in constructing one of these, hyperdrives. Just remember that Azzadira." He narrowed his eyes.

She simply responded with a casual nod. "Don't worry too much. When I'm done, the UNSC will be so technologically inferior they'll have no chance."

Rtas imagined it. With this technology they could put an army on one-hundred-thousand on any human world, and leave for reinforcements and be back in a few hours. The war would end far quicker than he or anyone anticipated. Finally. Given how long they war had been going on, he expected another decade or two, but it might be a few short years with hyperdrive engines.

"Do…" Rtas sighed. "…do you have any advice about the assault, concerning this ship to say aided in the defeat at the human colony?" He didn't like asking her, but she was his second in command now. The Prophets believed her military skill and tactical usefulness. They also bought into this different reality theory. He wasn't sure if he did, though. **But** …he had to trust in their judgement.

"You need a lot of heavy firepower to disable the _Aleppo_. Their weaponry makes them almost invincible if you run in blindly. If you know what you're doing, it's not that hard to take them down." She raised a finger. "But, you'll need to watch out for their tactics and weapons. They don't fight or act like you expect the UNSC forces to do. They are human, but not UNSC. Remember that and you'll win. DO not, underestimate them or Jovakhin. Especially, Jovakhin. You'll regret it."

Rtas snorted. "We can beat the filthy humans."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Then why haven't you won yet?" Her voice was sardonic. "Besides. He isn't human, like me."

He narrowed his eyes on her, but she didn't seem to care.

 _ **Aleppo**_ **infirmary**

Stahl cringed when Fox hugged her. Fox pulled away with an apologetic look on her face when she heard her grunt. She pulled her hands up to her chest.

"Sorry-sorry-sorry," she apologized quickly. "So sorry, Maddie, so sorry!"

"Oops," Wolf muttered smirking. "Looks like you broke a few rips, sis."

"Ouch," Stahl groaned.

"I am so-so-so-so sorry!" Fox apologized with a devastated expression.

"Relax, Fox," Stahl said through her groaning as the pain led up. "No broken bones. She's just kidding with ya. Just…a light hug, ok?"

Fox bobbed her head quickly. She stepped forward and hugged her lightly. Stahl smiled and hugged her back.

"It was more of a flesh wound, Fox."

Porter and Gate both stood a few meters away, leaning against the wall.

"Doc's letting you out of the infirmary yet?" Porter asked casually.

"Yes, I am," Doctor Ericson said as he keyed his laptop. He turned to Gate with a stern look. "You, major," he wagged his finger at him. "You don't let her into the field until I say so. I want her recuperating for after few days. Fox hugging her was slightly painful."

"Yeah, but the Covenant aren't gonna hug her," Wolf joked. "Don't think you need to be worried 'bout that, doc."

Ericson rolled his eyes.

"Funny, Wolf," he commented, turning away.

Stahl and Porter chuckled, as Fox laughed. Gate curved his lips slightly. Keeping some professionalism.

"I'm much more loving them the covie guys," Fox said grinning, putting an arm around Stahl. "Don't worry doc. I'll keep, Maddie in line. No suicide missions for a week. Promise."

"That is so…reassuring," Ericson said sarcastically.

Gate stopped leaning against the wall.

"Stop worrying doc," he ordered with a smirk. "That's an order."

Ericson simply rolled his eyes.

"So, how the Lt. Colonel and Bra'tac's meeting with that admiral go?"

"Not too well," Gate said. "She was pretty pissed off. McKenzie was apparently pretty aggressive and pressed her on our beam tech. she decided to hand it to him, sense he pretty much knew it already. He just wanted confirmation. Rya'c said that Bra'tac wasn't too thrilled with him either."

"I kinda liked him," Fox admitted, before crossing her arms. "Not anymore. Don't like when anyone fucks with the boss."

"Got that right sis," Wolf agreed. She turned to Stahl. "Come on girl, let's go eat. Their serving some kind of beef in the mess today."

"Gladly," she said. "I'm starving." She turned to Ericson. "Don't worry doc. I know my limits. I am a field medic after all."

Ericson waved her off. "I'll hold you to that."


	7. Ch7 Preparations

Universal Journey Chapter 7 Preparations

 **Hollow faith, Cold echo of loss base**

Azzadira stood and watched as Covenant dropships left with troops to fully crew her flagship. The _Malevolence_. Her flagship, her grand warship. The greatest warship ever built in her opinion. Built by her. The crown jewel of her life, the greatest achievement. Some might call it a monstrosity, but she called it a masterpiece of engineering. She had spent over one-thousand years constructing and upgrading it. She looked up, it was massive, even from this distant. It dwarfed the Covenant Super Carriers twenty-eight kilometers with its own eighty kilometers. Its original construction had taken fifty years because of its size, it had taken tens-of-thousands of workers and the lives of countless thousands of slaves. Her beautiful jewel.

The massive eighty kilometer Super Dreadnought had a completely slick black outer hull. It was nothing like the bulky human ships of the UNSC. It had a spear point shape in the front and was almost three kilometers in height at the highest point. It was covered by thousands of batteries., both plasma and a type of plasma missiles. It became slightly wider at it came longer from the front and slightly higher.

Right now munitions and weapons were loaded onboard. Thousands of troops were loaded onboard to support her own forces. She only had a relatively small force onboard. The majority were war droids, which was quite easily constructed infantry from the factories onboard. They could perform menial tasks and act as cannon fodder. Her Jaffa mercenaries was onboard their own Ha'tak- _Fearful tears_. She had spent a long time gathering resources and forces for the final confrontation with her love. The Wraith Heavy Cruisers _Nightingale_ and _Feast of glory_ was with _Malevolence_ , as was the Hive ship _Flowerbed of mercy_. Several Covenant Corvettes was acting as a support screen around the her four _small_ warship.

"Sir."

Azzadira turned around when she heard the raspy voice. Her second in command stood there. The tall Wraith had long white hair and a goatee. He wore the standard black clothes most Wraith wore. He had his fingers fiddling behind his back.

"Toby," Azzadira acknowledged his presence.

The Wraith-although he didn't use a name-he was accepting that Azzadira had named him. It was easier to her that way, he supposed.

"I have a time table for how long the resupply will take," he explained.

"Yes, how long?"

"Two more days if it continued at this current rate. The Covenant is sending that General Thel'mola here with Sangheili ground forces to bulk up the Unggoy, Yanme'e and Kig-Yar forces they are supplying us with." He took a step forward. "The Sangheili isn't too excited over serving onboard the _Malevolence_. The Kig-Yar and especially the Unggoy is more thrilled. Given their treatment by the other member races, they're figuring you can't possibly treat them worse. Besides, they have probably never seen a ship this size. It gives you an aura of power."

Azzadira smiled and nodded.

"What about…food supplies?"

"They have provided us with a long line of criminals and deserters. They are being brought onboard the Hive and Heavy Cruisers as we speak. Personally, the pathetic Kig-Yar I tasted was far less…tasty, then humans, but we'll do with what we have available."

Azzadira turned around. "They can never defeat the next invasion when _Malevolence_ takes part in the assault." She smiled behind her mask. "This is it Toby. The Covenant is my path to reach my goal. My empire, one day. And….my final revenge."

"Your war droids are better soldiers then these, Unggoy," Toby voiced. "They are quite pitiful and useless."

"Don't underestimate them. They can fight. I find them very useful." She turned around and looked at the airfield. "Just imagine it, Toby. Imagine if I can win their loyalty by treating them so much better then to Covenant do. When this war is over and my love is dead. Well…I can use the Unggoys numbers, plus _Malevolence_. I'll pay off the Kig-Yar, at some point. After I slaughter enough of them, I'll promise them a position in my new empire, and give them something else if they side with me. They must know the Sangheili and Jiralhanae won't hesitate to sacrifice them, just like the Unggoy. The Prophets doesn't care about any of them. They like their powerbase. and…"she turned around. "You know what, Toby. The Unggoy is the Covenant's powerbase. Without them the Covenant will collapse. They keep the industries and shipyards going, and act as primary infantry." She started walking with Toby behind her. "I need you to find me some kind of Unggoy officer. I'll give one of them a position of my senior staff. Should make them feel a little better to have a voice there."

"Understood, sir."

Azzadira thought about him. He probably already felt something wrong. The question she asked herself was if he had put it together and realized it was her. It didn't matter thought. He couldn't possibly win this time. Unlike their time in the Augum galaxy, she now had allies of her own. She didn't stand alone this time. In fact, her allies were overall more powerful.

An Unggoy suddenly appeared and jogged towards them.

"Fleet master Rtas Demmuda wanna see you!" He exclaimed.

"Where is he?"

"Follow me, follow me." He turned around and started walking away. Toby and Azzadira followed him.

"Thank you," she said.

She threw a last glance at the dropships carrying troops up to her ship. Hundreds of Yanme'e flew onboard dropships. Thousands of Unggoy moved around, going onboard ships themselves or carrying onboard supplies. Armored vehicles were also transported onboard to be loaded onto the _Malevolence_. Wraith tanks were brought onboard, as was Banshees, Ghosts and Revenants.

The Sangheili didn't like her authority within this invasion they planned. Demmuda was pissed that the battle would be commanded from the _Malevolence_ , and not this flagship, _Sword of Serpents_. But it was the Prophets will.

"Toby, how's my Jaffa mercenaries looking on the situation?" She asked as they followed the Unggoy.

"As long as they get the payment promised, there are no problem. If they would complain, I'm sure they can be placed in the frontlines when we attack Yorktown. Was that the name, Yorktown?" He shook his head. "Foolish human names. I still don't get why you had to name our vessels."

"Off course you don't. But that's ok."

As they were led into an office, Rtas stood by a console. He turned around to them and waved at the Unggoy to leave. The little alien quickly left the room without question. Azzadira crossed her arms.

"Well."

Rtas took several steps towards her.

"I need to get something straight with you," he sneered. "Listen carefully here. I am in charge of this mission, not you. You may command the _Malevolence_ , but it's my fleet. My army."

"Technically I think its Thel'mola's army," Azzadira replied, mostly to mess with him.

"Watch your tongue," he seethed. "I'm warning you."

"Or what? I can take you down right here, right now."

He stopped closer and looked down into her masked eyes.

"I wish we could find out, but…I have to work with you. Know you're place."

"Without me, you'll lose this wart. With Jovakhin and his human and Jaffa allies, they'll turn the tides against you. Your Prophets seem to understand this. But then again, you're a grunt, a foot soldier basically. Expendable."

He growled, but she stood her ground.

"Let's remember we have an invasion to plan," Toby reminded. "Let's try not to tear each other apart."

Rtas glared at him but straightened himself.

"Quite right," Azzadira said smugly.

"We'll leave as soon as your ship is supplied with enough troops and supplies."

Azzadira nodded. "Very well."

 **Yorktown orbit,** _ **Aleppo**_ **, lab**

Callahan walked into the lab and looked over to Rodney. He stood by a desk with equipment, analyzing a Covenant plasma pistol. She had turned the other two Covenant weapons over to the ONI for study in the spirit of cooperation. Sense the treaty was taking several days, she had given him authorization to start working on the project to combine Goa'uld zat and Covenant plasma pistol technology into one far improved weapon. Rodney theorized he could create a weapon that fired an electric plasma bolt, a weapon that wouldn't overload after being fired for a while, could kill as well as stun enemies and be easily manufactured by the UNSC. Although the UNSC couldn't completely produce a zat, they could probably produce a damn near good enough copy, without the Goa'uld crystal to power it though. That would be where Covenant weapons technology came into the picture.

She didn't understand why it took this time to decide for the UNSC back on their Earth. They did need the technology quickly after all. They couldn't waste any time.

"How is it going?" Callahan asked.

Rodney turned half around.

"Huh? Oh, it's you. Sorry, I was expecting Jovakhin."

"Oh? Well he is in the mess with SG18 and Rya'c."

"He wanted to talk about something. We were throwing ideas about the Covenant back and forth earlier."

She walked over to him and leaned on the table.

"Like what?" She asked with interest.

"Given what little the UNSC have actually let us know, we were putting it together and making up theories. About their hierarchy and such."

"I got time."

Rodney smiled slightly. "Alright. Well, we know these Prophets, or San 'Shyuum is at the top. Then we have the Jiralhanae and Sangheili, rivals who pretty much want to wipe the other out. seems the Sangheili is one step over the Jiralhanae though.

"Could we use that?" Callahan asked.

"Hmm," he hesitated. "Don't know. Both are loyal to the cause and the San 'Shyuum. Isn't that a weird name by the way? San 'Shyuum? Sounds stupid."

She chuckled.

"Yeah, kinda does I guess."

Rodney got back to the subject after a light chuckle.

"We got Mag-Mag-let-lek, eh…Magelgogo-something."

"Mgalekgolo," she corrected.

He furrowed his eyebrows.

"How could you possibly remember that?"

She shrugged.

"Good with alien names, guess. Don't know. Just stick with me."

"Well, we figures these guys are pretty high up in the hierarchy. We're just guessing but sense the UNSC doesn't know much either, well…we didn't see any onboard the ship. They aren't that super common and are more like heavy troops or tanks instead of infantry. If they weren't respected they would be more like the Unggoy."

"Maybe there to good fighters to treat badly. Maybe the Covenant had trouble absorbing them into the empire."

He nodded.

"Maybe. Would make sense to keep them happy enough not to rebel if they're too powerful." He keyed a command into the laptop on the desk before looking back at Callahan. "The Yam-ish-eh-uh-"

"Yanme'e."

"Right, right. The Yanme'e would seem to be a pretty important race in the Covenant arsenal. It make sense if they are pretty well taken care of."

"Your logic is flawed, Rodney. Sorry."

"What?"

"The Unggoy is extremely important. They're the basic infantry and probably fuel the Covenant military industrial complex. They aren't too well treaty. They're treated like shit."

Rodney conceded the point.

"Ok, good point. Hmph….ok, but the UNSC are convinced they are above the Unggoy, which isn't too hard. Sense the Kig-Yar is a species of mercenaries, it would make sense to have the Yanme'e above them too. If they're as crazy as the rest of the religious nut-jobs, it would make sense too."

"Which would put the Kig-Yar one step above the Unggoy," she finished.

He nodded.

"Yeah. These Unggoy, they can't be too happy? How much would it take to start a rebellion, or a freedom force fighting beside us?"

She arched her eyebrows.

"I don't know. But, the ideas certainly something to look into. Fuck the UNSC, McKenzie laughed when we spoke of it yesterday at lunch. Bra'tac took it more personal than I did. Think he and the Jaffa see some small similarities between their former situation with the Goa'uld and the Unggoys slavery at the hands of the Covenant."

"Hmm. I can sympathize. If we could capture a few Unggoy. We could convince them that fighting for their freedom is better and they might help us spread the word, starting a friction between the Covenant." Imagine, if they crack down on that friction, they'll push the Unggoy away further, straight into our open arms."

"That's a lot of assumptions, but then again... I think we should give it a shot." She looked across the room. "By the way, their Commander Ricardo told us that UNSC reinforcements would arrive in a week or so, to bulk up their lines."

"Expecting a Covenant attack?" He asked with concern.

She nodded.

"He said that they'll be back soon. He hoped that the reinforcements would get here first, though."

 _ **Open Heavens**_ **, McKenzie's office**

"So it's done?" McKenzie asked.

The man on the screen shifted slightly in his seat.

"Not yet, but pretty much. They're beating out the last few points they want with back on Earth. We were informed that the allies is still on the table, as it the supplies and exchange of information. They want an exchange of weapons, those Jaffa staff weapons and zat-things, the scientists are very interested in those. They could give us a unique look into their technology and an advantage over the Covenant." General Bill Hathaway leaned forward in his chair. "The project that…" he looked at his papers. "-Doctor McKay was talking about has the Oni talking. Everyone's pretty interested in combining Covenant and, eh…Jaffa, technology. But, I sent the list of current points to you."

"Thank you, Bill."

"Don't mention it. I didn't actually do much," he replied.

As the channel closed, McKenzie looked over the list sent on his screen.

Firstly, the alliance. That was a good and important part of it.

Secondly, they would provide the small naval force with supplies, food, munitions more on an as-needed basis.

Thirdly, they would provide scientist to research and manufacture a drug the Jaffa needed to live. It was clearly one of the most important ones. it would go a long way to gain their trust. Tritonin, he thought they called it.

Fourthly, they would exchange information.

Fifthly, they would exchange weapons technology.

Sixthly, they would worked to combine Jaffa and Covenant technology into better weapons.

Seventh, they would be provided with specs over hyperdrives. It could turn the tide of war and McKenzie obviously knew it.

Eighth, the _Aleppo_ would share their long range sensor technology with the UNSC. They could detect Covie worlds and launch raids or even all-out invasions.

Ninth, they would provide the UNSC with shielding technology.

tenth, the _Aleppo_ would share their beam weapon technology with the UNSC. He was hesitant to believe that would be excepted. It was quite a lot to ask already. Not to mention with the next point.

Eleventh, the _Aleppo_ would share their transportation technology with the UNSC. McKenzie rubbed his forehead and groaned. No way. They would never agree to that. Some of these points was a lot to ask, specifically sense they weren't providing them with a real bone in return. Thankfully, it specifically stated that the transport technology could be taken off the table _if_ the _Aleppo_ utterly refused. He chuckled darkly. If. Really?

Munitions, the Jaffa drug, exchange of weapon technologies-which probably would benefit them more than _Aleppo_ -and an exchange of information, specifically on the Covenant. All this in exchange for shield, weapon, transport, sensor and hyperdrive technology. It was a horrible deal. He knew that the UNSC would never agree if the roles were reversed. Never. They needed more if they wanted all these technologies.

He sipped from his hot coffee. He cursed to himself. They couldn't make such ridiculous demands when they needed these peoples aid. Maybe in time, but not now. Not yet.

 **Hollow faith orbit,** _ **Malevolence**_ **, Wraith chamber 13**

 **5** **th** **day**

Azzadira was not at all bothered by the pained roars from the Jiralhanae. They were so deep inside the ship that no Covenant soldiers was close enough to hear anything. Azzadira needed to ensure her powerbase with Sangheili military leaders to deal with as well onboard. For hours the Jiralhanae warriors had been fed upon by Wraith and given their life back. It was only a matter of time before they broke, she was sure of it. She was confident they would break. They were mentally strong enough, although their brute strength made them strong enough to survive and bare it.

With a secret bodyguard force of Jiralhanae at her command, if Rtas tried anything, they would kill him. Something they would probably not mind anyway in their rightful mind settings.

Suddenly an Ultra pushed the Wraith soldier off of him. he stood up and grabbed his arm and flung him across the chamber. He smacked into the wall twenty meters away. Four other Wraith soldiers raised their stun rifles on him, but Azzadira raised her palm. The three war droids in the chamber also reacted.

They had silvery surfaces, with black junctions and a pair of red eyes. The heads were rounded and shiny. They were 1.7 meters tall.

"Wait," she said softly. She stepped towards the Jiralhanae. He looked both exhausted and confused. He had taken up a battle stance. "Stand down my warrior." He looked at her. "Stand down."

He relaxed, listening to her soft voice. He made a growling noise in his throat.

"It's ok. You're fine. I'm sure you are feeling a bit crappy, right now, yes? Relax and let him return what he took. I promise you you will feel a lot better. Is that acceptable?"

He growled at first and looked at the soldier that was getting back up. The Wraith looked like crap. More than a few broken bones probably. But, at least they heal over time. He staggered over to the Jiralhanae again. slowly the Jiralhanae Ultra accepted and allowed the Wraith to continue the reversed feeding. Azzadira smirked delightfully under her mask. The first giant had fallen to her will, or was starting to anyway.

She knew the Covenant would kill her or torture her if they ever found of about this. She would make sure to surround herself with loyal soldiers onboard. It would be nothing strange if she was followed by a pair of Jiralhanae warriors, sense the Prophet of Enlightenment had provided her with a bodyguard force of of in the first place. Now, they were more loyal than before.

A war droid entered the chamber. It held a holographic datapad in its hand. It walked over to Azzadira.

"Sir," it said in a mechanical and dark tone. "I have from the commander to you." She accepted it. The commander in question was Toby. She looked at it. It was a report that the last supplies had been taken onboard. As had the last vehicles and most of the troops. General Thel'mola would arrive in a few hours with his force of special commando Sangheili warriors. A combined force including stealth warriors, special operations Sangheili, zealots and veterans from many battlefields.

Azzadira thought for a moment. In a day their fleet could depart. Of course without hyperdrives it would take the Covenant three days to reach Yorktown. Which was why _Malevolence_ would take on some many of the forces. Also, her three hangars would be equipped with several dozen Corvettes. She could fit Cruisers but they would take up more room, letting her carry less ship. Some of her ten minor hangars were filled with Covenant fighters and pilots, adding to her own Wraith Darts and ball shaped interceptors crewed by her war droids. The ball shaped interceptors were commonly referred to her just that, interceptors. Their shape made them highly maneuverable. They were black in color.

* * *

Alright, we found out a tiny bit more about her mysterious woman aiding the Covenant and her goals. Granted, lots still missing, ubbt we'll get a full explanation to her mystery soon enough. Also, added a counter of how many days there have gone sense the Aleppo and Bra'tac's ship came to this reality. Added that to chapters six and two.

Been introduced to the _Malevolence_. Kinda big.

Hopefully next chapter will be out tomorrow or the day after that.


	8. Ch8 Battle of Yorktown Part1

Universal Journey Chapter 8 Battle of Yorktown part 1

 **Hyperspace,** _ **Malevolence**_ **briefing room**

 **6** **th** **day**

Azzadira stood at the holographic tables end. Like all rooms and corners of the ship, the walls and floor were black, but with a red carpet covering the floor around the table. Both Thel'mola and Rtas Demmuda was present, as was a Jiralhanae Chieftain named Dentarus, and Toby-her trusted Wraith commander. A few lower ranked subcommanders were present. One of them was a Kig-Yar named Rtek. He was a Shipmaster in command of the scout and stealth Kig-Yar forces. Several lower Jiralhanae and Sangheili subcommanders were gathered around them. The hologram of a Jaffa from the _Fearful tears_ was there, representing the Jaffa mercenaries.

"How long until Covenant reinforcements arrive?" Chieftain Dentarus asked in his rough voice.

"Three days," Toby answered. He stood beside Azzadira with his usual calm posture. "This ship can handle any defending fleet easily enough."

Noticing Rtas opening raising his mandibles, Azzadira raised her hand.

"Sense only two factions in this galaxy has hyperdrives, it will catch the UNSC completely by surprise, given that they don't even know we exist. The _Aleppo_ crew and the Jaffa has hyperdrives and that's it, as far as they know." She keyed in a command and the map changed into an image of the UNSC fleet around Yorktown.

Dentarus chuckled. "They won't be expecting this ship. We'll win in days."

"Don't put too much faith into this technology," Rtas sneered. "It must be used right."

He glared at Azzadira.

"This ship dwarfed anything in the UNSC arsenal," she said. "Even the Covenant arsenal, for that matter." She looked directly at the holographic map. "When we drop out of hyperspace, we won't give them time to react. While they recover from the surprise we will launch fighters and close the distance quickly. The Corvettes will shield the Hive ship from direct fire from those powerful UNSC batteries."

Toby nodded in agreement.

"A number of direct shots from the _Aleppo_ and MAC batteries will rip through their shields and cripple the Hive ship."

"We will carve a bloody path through the UNSC fleet and land troops planetside. Whatever artifact they have hidden there, we'll find it," Azzadira continued. "Shipmaster Rtek, you will deploy scout teams to the jungle around the village." She looked at the Kig-Yar.

He nodded in confirmation.

"My men will rake in the kills and spread fear."

"We need to secure the landing zones quickly and disabled all six airfields on the southern continent. That falls to you, general."

Thel'mola nodded slowly.

"My forces have been selected and stand ready." He didn't like taking orders from her. "I estimate to occupy or destroy the six airfields within five hours."

"We are dropping a combined force of Jaffa, Sangheili, Kig-Yar and Unggoy into the jungle with the mission to attack the villages nearby and slaughter anyone in their way. With civilians in harm's way, the UNSC should sense further forces into the jungle, and-" she looked at Rtek. "-your forces will pick them off." He nodded with delight. "The ONI military compound Dagger base is a vital target. Sangheili forces, along with Kig-Yar, Yanme'e and Unggoy support will attack it. War droids will join them as our ace in the sleeve."

Rtas leaned closer to the table. "Yanme'e squads will be dropped throughout the inhabited areas of the continent."

"What about us?" Dentarus demanded.

"You'll sit back and wait."

"Your men will wait until the UNSC have committed all of their forces. Then, we will throw you in to break them with brutal force." She looked at Toby. "As this is going on, our Darts and interceptors will attack specific targets planetside. Our Death gliders, added to our Covenant fighters and available Wraith Darts will harass UNSC convoys, supply lines and prevent troops movements."

He nodded.

"Yes, sir."

Azzadira paused and looked out over the crowd of officers. Apart from the Sangheili-most of them-they weren't opposed or bothered that she was taking the lead. Thel'mola and Rtas's mandibles flared, and they were both very angry at this point. Still, they gave her wiggle room, knowing her plan was sound. Plus Rtas had had a hand in conceiving the plan, but with her modifications.

"After securing the jungle and airfields we have to launch our assault of Brighthelm, the planets capital itself. Three forces will marshal on opposite sides of Brighthelm in a triangle shaped surround. I expect this to be on the third day of the battle, the fourth at most. We will march on Brighthelm and drop forces inside it to lock down the airport, UNSC headquarters and other important buildings. Our fighters will ensure complete air superiority. We will establish jamming devices in one of the highest buildings and shut down all possible short range liens of communication. It will blackout the entire city." The map changed to Brighthelm. "The military bunker complex below the city will surely house their military and any civilian leaders planetside. We have to break through and secure it. If possibly, capture them."

Rtas had to agree with that. Capturing any enemy leaders would be very useful. They could provide important military intelligence and locations of filthy human planets.

"My war droids, added to Jiralhanae unit leaders will cut off streets and seal paths through the city, adding further chaos." She paused to breath. "After that, we just need to clean up what's left of the human resistance. The planets practically ours after that." She straightened herself and leaned away from the table. "Just remember, aero and space supremacy is essential for success. Without it we can't keep our time table."

"Who leads what in the capital attack?" Dentarus asked, crossing his arms.

"General Thel'mola will command his forces in the attack after the successful airfield assaults, of course. One of them falls to you and the third falls under the command of a Sangheili of Fleet master Demmuda's choice."

Rtas was slightly surprised. It was clearly only right, but he was surprised that she agreed to it. She hadn't been very agreeable with him this far. Perhaps she wanted to show she could cooperate.

He bobbed his head slowly. "Yes." He turned to a Sangheili zealot. "Kaaldrumee."

Orn Kaaldrumee was a giant-even for a Sangheili. He rose above the others with 3.2 meters. Even for a Sangheili he was a giant where the average height was between 2.4-2.8 meters. He wore maroon/purple armor. He was one of the Sangheili who didn't seem to mind Azzadira assuming command of the briefing.

"I will slaughter every human in my path," he swore.

Rtas nodded approvingly.

"Dismissed."

The meeting dispersed and Azzadira remained standing with Toby.

"How many Wraith soldiers are ready?"

"We have five-thousand ready at your whim," he said.

"Make that four-thousand," she retorted. "No reason to throw all our troops into the bloodbath immediately. Keep them as… _reinforcements_."

"Understood."

"Let the Covenant ground forces bleed themselves dry on the planet. Don't forget the chance to capture some humans. I'm sure our Darts will be able to spare some time for that. Could always use more…supplies for our soldiers."

"I'll gladly make sure of it, sir," he said with a pleased smile.

 _ **Aleppo**_ **briefing room**

Callahan had gathered, Woolsey, Jovakhin, and Major Gate to look over the treaty sent by McKenzie one hour ago. Rodney was working on the weapon improvement project. They had finally finished it. Bra'tac was there along with Rya'c. No one of them seemed too pleased with the first outlined points. McKenzie had begrudgingly told her she wouldn't like it.

"We can't accept this," Rya'c spoke for everyone.

"A few of these points is clearly unacceptable," Woolsey said neutrally. "But I think we can work with this, I'm afraid diplomacy sends to move slowly colonel."

"Don't I know it," she muttered. "Anyway. Let's throw a few points off, shall we." Woolsey handed her the pad with the treaty specifics on. "We're not handing over our Asgard beams or beam weapons. That's strictly off limits. The cloak I might consider, but with a different incentive for it. Shields and sensors are fine. I can roll with that. Bra'tac?"

He cleared his throat.

"I agree with your assessment, Lt. Colonel Callahan. We need to stand firm and refuse them all of our technology in exchange for what they are offering."

"Should the allies make them happy?" Gate stated. "Just some of our technology should be enough for now. Hyperdrives and shields would change this war profoundly. Improved sensors would help them detect incoming ships in slipspace if set correctly." He titled is head. "Least, McKay says so."

Callahan, Bra'tac, Rya'c and even himself Gate chuckled. Jovakhin smirked, but it wasn't visible from behind the mask.

"Well if McKay says so," Callahan said sarcastically. She cleared her throat and returned to the present discussion. "McKenzie suggested a meeting between us and the Joint chiefs tomorrow, 1300 hours."

" _Sir,"_ Marks said over the radio.

"Callahan here, Marks."

" _Colonel, we have a several hyperspace windows opening,"_ he said with slight worry.

Everyone in the briefing room stared at each other with shock, confusion and growing concern.

"On my way," Callahan decided quickly. They all hurried to the bridge.

"How is that possible?" Woolsey asked.

"I don't know," Callahan said honestly. "Maybe someone else ran into the same anomaly after or…" she didn't finish her sentence. "Marks talk to me."

She took up her command chair beside him and Kyle. Marks nor Kyle said anything. It was quite on the bridge.

"Ma-" she started before abruptly stopping. She stared with wide eyes at the monstrous sized ship that was on screen.

Marks looked at her. "It's eighty kilometers in length." His voice showed he was clearly taken a back all of this. "We're detecting four more ships around it."

"Holy cow," Gate breathed.

Rodney came running onto the bridge, also he shocked by the ship facing them. The black hulled ship was massive. Callahan had never seen a ship of that size in her career or life.

"Scan that ship and the others," she finally ordered.

Marks did so and keyed the command into his console. He suddenly looked up at her, greatly confused.

"I'm detecting three Wraith ships, two Cruisers and a Hive ship and a Ha'tak."

"W-what?!" Rodney exclaimed. "What the heck's the Wraith doing here?!"

Rya'c looked at Bra'tac, hoping he could explain the Ha'tak, but his face showed he could not.

"You won't believe this," Rodney said, looking over the result of the scan of the Dreadnought or whatever it was classed as.

"Don't keep it to yourself," Callahan responded slowly.

"That ship," he walked closer to the viewport. "That ship…I'm detecting ancient, wraith, Goa'uld, Asgard and unknown technology. It al-also shows traces of what looks like Covenant technology. I-I-I…" he trailed off. "That ships is composed of some of the most advanced technology from our dimension, plus Covenant."

Woolsey looked at Callahan helplessly.

"C-contact the _Open Heavens_ ," she ordered.

"They're launching fighters!" Marks alerted.

"Shields up, weapons ready. Battle stations, Mr Marks."

"Aye, sir."

The UNSC quickly launched fighters of their own, added to it by gliders from Bra'tac's Ha'taks. Bra'tac was happy that Ky'anat was aboard one of his motherships. The massive Dreadnought opened up on one of the UNSC ships with a single barrage. The massive barrage from hundreds of powerful batteries obliterated the shield-less Frigate. It was utterly destroyed in moments. Bra'tac and Rya'c was beamed over to their one ship.

 _ **Open Heavens**_ **bridge**

McKenzie glared at the massive warship. This wasn't like any ship they had ever seen. It was more powerful than any ship they had seen for that matter also. It couldn't possibly be a Covenant warship, they detected no slipspace window. It arrived in the same way as the _Aleppo_ had, almost a week prior. Scans from that day was the same as those just taken now. There was no question, these ships were from their dimension. Reality. Whatever.

"MAC ready, sir," Ricardo told him.

"Fire," McKenzie ordered.

The high velocity slug ripped through the empty and coldness that was space and impacted the massive ships shields. McKenzie turned to Ricardo who shook his head.

"Minimal damage. We'd have to fire a hundred of those to bring those shields down to half," he wagered.

"Admiral, Picking up Covenant Corvettes."

"What, from where?"

"They're coming from hangars on the underbelly of that monster, sir."

"How many?"

"Thirty-six."

He cursed mentally and clenched is fists.

"Fire the MAC when ready."

Ricardo nodded nervously. They helplessly watched as a Heavy Cruiser was torn in half. A Light Cruiser was disabled when a strange black colored round fighter did a kamikaze run into the Light Cruisers bridge, disabling the ship.

For a moment the bridge were filled with a moral boost when Aleppo opened up with their beam weapons. But it didn't last long as the shields took pretty low damage. More than from the MAC but not nearly enough.

In the space between the two fleets, Covenant, Dart and some gliders, plus interceptors from Malevolence battled with UNSC fighters and a few squadron of gliders from Bra'tac's small flotilla.

"Get the Light Carrier to withdraw!" McKenzie commanded. "I want covering fire from all surrounding ships."

"Aye, sir!"

She ship shook and McKenzie grabbed a console to remain standing. If they didn't do something fats, this would be one short battle. If all ships were destroyed, they could never protect Yorktown.

"Ricardo, I want-"

"Sir!"

He turned and looked at the screen. He saw one of the Ha'taks get blasted to bits. It was hit straight on, center mass and only debris and rubble was left. The relatively small Aleppo was maneuvering to avoid getting hit by the massive Dreadnoughts plasma fire. The remaining four Ha'taks pulled back as they fired on the hostile Ha'tak. Their shields weakened quickly as three MAC rounds slammed into it. The shields were disabled and the four Ha'taks didn't let up. the started blasting the mothership apart. Darts and interceptors attempted to grant some quick relief, but didn't prove enough of a threat for the ships to cease fire.

A Covenant Corvette got too cocky and maneuvered too close to the UNSC position. Three cruisers, bomber squadron, archer missiles and a MAC battery ripped it into a thousand pieces. Unfortunately no one had time to celebrate as a Light Cruiser was ripped in three pieces.

The hostile Ha'tak was finally starting to crumble under the barrage and exploded into countless pieces. The four Ha'taks continued pulling back and started recalling their gliders to a defensive roll, having lost large numbers of them already.

The large Dreadnought or perhaps Super Dreadnought was continuing to move closer to the planet and the defending fleet.

"Message from _Aleppo_ , sir," Ricardo alerted. "They tried beaming a nuke passed the shields of that monster, but to no avail. Doctor McKay are trying to find a way around it."

"Wonder if one nuke-even a Naquadah enhanced one-would be enough," McKenzie stated bluntly. He turned fully to Ricardo as their only Heavy Carrier exploded and received a giant hole on the starboard side, smack down in the middle. It carved forty meters inside the ship. The hole in the hull was three-hundred and fifty-six meters across. The ship listed badly to starboard. "Order all ships to withdraw to the moon."

"Yes, sir."

They had to withdraw to regroup. If they died, Yorktown was lost. But with that Super Dreadnought they didn't stand a chance. They needed a new plan. Maybe they could beat the Covies planetside. It was a longshot but they were running out of options.

"Prep all ODSTs and the Spartans for drop. We gotta get them planetside and fight back the initial landing zone. Get me General Hathaway."

Shortly Hathaway appeared on the screen.

"Liam, I know of the situation and I General Hawke have dispatched available aero forces to assist you. But he had to send some to protect the shipyards. They're under attack by some spearhead shaped fighters."

"Bill," McKenzie said. "I have to retreat to the moon. I have no choice, my ships are being torn apart out here."

 _Aleppo_ maneuvered around a Heavy Wraith Cruiser- _Nightingale_ -and opened up on a Corvette. In moments the Asgard beams ripped through its hull and wiped it from existence. Their shields were currently down to fifty percent and falling. The Super Dreadnought was targeting them, causing their shields to quickly crumble under the barrage of plasma and hellfire.

"That doesn't sound good, you're withdrawing?" Hathaway asked him to elaborate. "You'll leave Yorktown open."

McKenzie but his lower lip.

"We're taking a beating, Bill. I cannot defend Yorktown if my fleets gone. One of the Ha'taks is gone and two badly damaged. Aleppo's taking a hell of a beating right now too!" The ship shook violently.

"Venting atmosphere!" An officer alerted. "Three sections exposed to space!"

"Seal off the sections immediately!" Ricardo barked.

"Not to mention, _Open Heavens_ being torn up!" McKenzie added. "I'm out of options, Bill."

"Sir, _Aleppo's_ covering our retreat."

Ricardo leaned over the man's console.

"How it's one ship?" He asked bewildered.

He was shocked by the answer, but also in awe. Aleppo was flying around the Super Dreadnought, firing at it from point blank range. That also meant that they were fired back on in return, from point blank range.

"There shields are at twenty-two percent. They can't hold out for long."

McKenzie sighed and looked right into Hathaway's eyes. He sighed in return.

"Alright, hope you know what you're doing."

"So do I," he replied honestly.

The channel closed. With some happy news, the hostile fleet of mismatched ships was not perusing them. Unfortunately they were sending dropships and transports down to the planet under fighter escorts to hold the UNSC at bay.

"Colonel Callahan and master Bra'tac hailing us, sir."

McKenzie turned around.

"Put her through, put her through." They appeared on the screen. She was sitting on her bridge, in the command chair-Bra'tac stood by the command console on his. "How are your crew fairing, Colonel?"

She breathed out.

"They're ok. Few scraps with bulkheads, simply. How's your people?"

"Few casualties aboard. Almost a dozen ships lost with crews."

She shook her head sadly.

"I am sorry, Admiral McKenzie," Bra'tac said sadly.

"Thank you. I'm sorry about your lost Ha'tak, Bra'tac, but we have an invasion ongoing. We're tracking hundreds of transports approaching Yorktown. We also have dozens of fighters that doesn't have anywhere to go, their Carriers were lost."

"I have place onboard my Ha'taks," Bra'tac offered. "I lost many gliders during the battle, short as it was."

McKenzie smiled warmly, and surprised.

"Thank you. That's appreciate."

"I will send you the coordinates to our glider bays."

"Admiral," Callahan interjected. "We need to level out the playing field. I'd like-with your permission-to beam engineering teams onboard your ships to install shields and secondly, hyperdrives."

McKenzie was shocked but wouldn't turn it down. Shields would be a great advantage to now. Would allow them to last longer. Plus, the small Covenant Corvette didn't have shields at all. He himself didn't have a lot of small ships left, two Corvettes, ten Frigates and two Destroyers. Added to that was two Light and eight Heavy Cruisers, along with three Light Carriers.

"Of course, deeply appreciate that. It'll give us something of an advantage next time. But…with that Super Dreadnought, we can't possibly win."

"Rodney's still working on beaming a nuke passed their shields. With any luck, we can beam a nuke onto their bridge, cripple the monster. For now though, I have a team that can assist any military operation planetside. They're damn good soldiers, I promise you that."

"I have a few hundred Jaffa warriors that could aid as well," Bra'tac offered. "With luck, and skill, we can still turn this."

McKenzie snorted slightly. Nothing like imminent death and war to bring people together. At least Earth would have to just accept whatever they decided to do here afterwards.

 **Yorktown, planetside, jungle**

Sphinx one-Becky-was the first off the pelican. She looked around and aimed with her MA5 at the ready. Her teammates, Daniel, Pierre and Phoenix came right behind her with half a dozen marines. The other female Spartan-Phoenix kept her M398 sniper rifle ready. She looked to a hilltop overlooking the jungle ahead.

"Sir, I could get a good view from there," she told Becky.

Becky looked to where her two fingers pointed and nodded.

"Go," she said, turning to a marine with a sniper rifle. "Both of you."

The marine gave an affirming two finger salute and quickly followed Phoenix who jogged towards it.

"Rest, on me," Becky said. "We're moving to the right side of the hill."

She saw a Covenant dropship lifting off and flying back up. It was one of the smaller that could carry eight-ten troops. The marines and Spartans trekked through the jungle vegetation quickly towards their target. It took two minutes to reach the spot.

" _Sir,"_ phoenix called over the radio. _"I got eyes of the enemy."_

"How many Sphinx two?"

" _I count eight jackals, all arms with snipers."_

"A scout team," Daniel presumed. "If we get them in the open, it'll be easy."

Becky gestured for them to take cover as they sneaked closer to the open space the scouting party had landed in.

"They're moving towards the vegetation," Phoenix alerted. "I'm going to lose sight in ten."

Becky and her team was almost there. If the jackals got into cover, it would make it all the more harder to get them. Not too hard, but still. Potentially a casualty of two.

"Take the shots when ready," she decided. "We're almost in position."

" _Copy."_

"On my mark," Phoenix told the marine beside her in the grass.

"Sir."

She looked through her scope and put her finger on the trigger. She squeezed it until she felt some resistance and halted. She aimed into the back of the head of a jackal. She held her breath.

"Mark," she whispered.

She pulled the trigger and a round in high velocity smacked into and through the jackals skull. Another one fell with a bullet to the head from the marine.

"Sweet," he voiced.

She fired again, hitting a jackal when it turned around. The round went straight through his eye socket, letting him collapse into the dirt. The other five jackals had turned around, trying to locate the shooter. Two of them bolted for the tree line. Both Phoenix and the marine fired at once, taking both out at once.

"Beautiful," he commented positively.

They ducked when plasma shots started kissing the hilltop.

"Guess they found us, huh," she said simply. "Taking fire," she spoke into her radio.

The next moment gunfire added to the fight from the vegetation across from the jackals. The first jackal was hit in the legs and started falling over. Three slugs slammed into his head before he hit the ground. The second was it center mass seven times, collapsing dead. The third and last of the scout unit was hit in the chest and staggered. He tried making it to the tree line, but was hit by a sniper round in the neck. He died immediately.

"Well that was easy," the marine said.

Phoenix glared at him.

"Why would you say that? You never say that."

"What?" The marine-named Carsen-replied.

" _Look alive folk,"_ Daniel said over the radio. _"Three Phantoms coming in. Looks like three thirty man platoons incoming."_

"See?" Phoenix said. "You never said that."

"Sorry," Carsen said.

Below Becky turned to Pierre.

"Sphinx three, take the five marines and take up position across from us," she ordered. "Get ready with that rocket launcher."

He nodded.

"Copy, sir. Moving out. Let's go boys."

If they could ambush them, it would give them an advantage. For the first drop anyway. It wasn't large enough with enough room on the field for more than one at the time to come down. Becky kneeled in the bushes beside a tree, watching as Daniel and the five marines hurried around to take up there position. Pierre was beside her, with his BR55 battle rifle.

The first Phantom stopped and hoovered six meters from the ground. It opened the ventral doors on each side and the first troops readied to drop down.

"Ready rocket launcher," Becky said.

" _On your mark, sir,"_ Daniel responded. _"We're in position."_

The first elites moved to jump out.

"Now."

A rocket was fired and it flew inside the open door and slammed into the ships inner bawls. The explosion ripped the Phantom apart from the inside. It spun around as it tried to maintain its position, but in vain. It came crumbling down to the ground. It crushed the only elite who managed to jump out.

"Fuck, that's' gotta hurt," Pierre mumbled.

The elite pilot hung out the smashed window, dead. Obviously the other two Phantoms had noticed. Their plasma cannons opened up a barrage into the jungle at random locations. They hadn't seen where they shot from and fired randomly down. Daniel and his team was already changing position after firing anyway.

"Phoenix, get into position over the field where we landed," Becky said. "That's the closest other landing zone."

" _On it."_

Phoenix and Carsen only needed to slither a little bit and found themselves looking in the other direction.

One of the Phantoms ceased firing and maneuvered to drop troops there. The other continued firing down, hoping to hit somebody. The marine with the rocket launcher fired another shot. The rocket smashed into the pilot seat, tearing off the front entirely. It crashed on top of the first Phantom.

"Move to secondary landing zone," Becky ordered over the radio.

" _Copy, sir,"_ Daniel confirmed.

The Phantom hoovered five meters off the ground and the doors retracted. The first Covie out was an elite with a sniper rifle. Phoenix put a round through his left eye socket. He died before he hit the grassy ground below. Carsen fired at a jackal inside the Phantom. Getting shot in the head, the jackal collapsed and fell out. Three jackals managed to touch down. Two ran for cover while the third tried locating the attackers. Phoenix shot him in the head.

An elite dropped down with five other jackals, all with snipers. The elite also had a sniper rifle in hand. He roared menacingly. Phoenix knew they had found stealth teams that was supposed to patrol the jungle and attack any UNSC forces coming through.

Carsen placed a slug in the throat of a jackal. It collapsed, trying desperately to clutch its bleeding throat. He ducked to cover when the elite-wearing the orange armor of a major-fired at them, firing three plasma bolts. Phoenix ducked also. He had found them, and now allowed the jackals to find cover and exit the Phantom.

"Move to secondary position," Phoenix said.

Carsen nodded. Both sneaked backwards and then moved to opposite sides of the hill. Phoenix was first in position and fired first. Her slug collided with the elites shields. She immediately squeezed the trigger, firing two more. The shields failed and his head was blown away. Half of it anyway.

Carsen's first round hit a jackal in the head as he looked up from cover.

"Sweet," he voiced. He fired another round, hitting a jackal in the shoulder. "Sucker, take this." The next round hit him in the head blowing it clean off.

The Phantom started taking off as it dropped off the last troops. Two grunts wobbled towards the tree line as quickly as they could. "Run away!" They screamed. Pierre's BR55 fired two bursts, killing both in seconds. He and Becky was in position. Becky fired a burst, hitting a jackal major with a sniper in the head. The burst decapitated him.

Carsen shot a round clean through the skull of a jackal. It smashed into another jackal behind him. Both collapsed, dead.

"I prefer y'all dead," he said in a chipper voice.

The jackals found themselves outflanked when Daniel and his five marines came in firing from the left. They took down four of them in the first second, two more the next. As a jackal tried changing position, he seemed to forget the snipers. Phoenix put a round through his head, straight through his skull.

" _Clear,"_ Daniel called on the radio.

"Copy," Becky responded. "No injures?"

" _None."_

They all met up on the field. Carsen came down with Phoenix.

"Nice shot, sir," he complimented her.

"Thanks. Not too bad yourself," she replied in kind.

Becky's radio sparked to life.

" _**is Gener*l Warfield, do *** read, Sphinx team, ** you r**d_ ," a firm and gruff male voice came through.

"This is Sphinx one. I read," Becky confirmed. "You're not coming the interference fully, but I hear you."

" _Right ***k at ***, Sphinx o**," Warfield said. "Cove***nt dis***** co**unicate***. Occupied the Uplink t**er two kilometers *rom *our location. Ne** to reestablish contact **** forces in *pace and around c***tal. Shut down ****r jammi** equi*****."_

"Send the coordinates, sir," Becky said. "We'll deal with it."

" _T**ns****ing n*w, Gen**** War***ld out."_

"If they jam us this early, we can't organize a counter attack," Daniel said.

Becky looked at the marines and her team.

"We'll shut them down, kill any covies at the tower."


	9. Ch9 Battle of Yorktown Part2

Universal Journey Chapter 9 Battle of Yorktown part 2

 **Yorktown surface, bunker complex under parliament building**

General Warfield looked over the current situation. The aero forces were stretched out trying to fend off the alien attacks, supporting infantry and fighting off alien fighters. The six airfields were under assault. Covenant troops were dropping outside and five was under attack. The sixth was seeing covies massing around, preparing for the attack. In the jungle the villages was in grave danger, with covies dropping and outnumbering the army troopers already present. Every hour more Covenant landed on the planet. With communications in the jungle cutoff, they couldn't organize a counter attack or a defense. He could only wait until Sphinx team managed to retake the uplink tower.

The giant of a man leaned over the table. The African-American general grunted. He looked over at the Joint chiefs. Generals Harry Burke and Bill Hathaway, General Ian Hawke in command of Yorktown's air force and Admiral Philippe Geraldino, the commander of the navy stood. He managed to scrap together five civilian Corvettes that was being armed at this very moment. He had informed them that _Aleppo_ was upgrading their surviving ships shields and hyperdrives at this very moment to give them a better chance.

Right now there was a skirmish between alien and UNSC fighters in space.

Seventeen members of parliament was down here. They were worried and frightened.

Warfield was slightly surprised the Covenant and their new allies hadn't attacked the capital yet. Brighthelm must be a very tempting target. Civilian ships were leaving as they waited here. But it would take weeks to evacuate the twenty-million people in the city and a massive fleet to do it. Not to mention the other ten million people in other cities of villages. The cities was in chaos as people tried to get off the planet as quickly as possible, but Covenant aero forces make that almost impossible.

He made a mental note to ask _Aleppo_ what the hell they were facing. He focused his dark grey eyes on the map in front of him. It was a map of the jungle warzone. He scratched his white short marine cut hair. His own 90th Infantry Division of army troopers were partially inside the jungle. They were securing villages, setting up defenses along the main roads to hold. With communications the way it was, that was difficult.

"The fifth armored Battalion is requesting reinforcements," he heard an aide announce. "They ask for immediate air support."

"I can spare two platoons from the 13th marine Company," Hathaway wagered.

"There is no aero support available. Everything is already busy elsewhere," Hawke said, sighing with a heavy heart.

 **Yorktown surface, jungle, Uplink tower**

Phoenix moved slowly through the jungles thick vegetation, careful not to get too close and get caught by the covies. The uplink was placed with thick vegetation around it. There were a small plateau that it stood on, a tiny one, just ten meters. It housed the tower itself, with metal stairs going around in a square. It had a steel square formed platform at the top, and with it a room with glass windows along every wall. There was a dark green tent and the steel tower itself was thirty meters high.

This far, she had seen five grunts wobbling around, keeping guard and two elites. Both wore dark blue armor and plasma rifles. She had been able to see two grunts sleeping inside the tent. Two jackal snipers stood halfway up the tower.

"Stupid jungle. Stupid bugs," one of the grunts complained.

Phoenix smirked slightly.

She assumed there were more Covenant around, but she presumed at least a pair on top, possible four or five more. There could be more inside the tent, although she didn't see. Her eyes arched when she saw an alien coming down. She had never seen anything like him before. He had extremely pale skin, practically white with a shade of blue, long white hair and a grey-organic looking-mask covering his face. He held a strange sharp edged rifle. He looked quite muscular and well-trained.

What. The. Fuck," she voiced to herself. Was it a new Covenant species, or just one of those other dimensional aliens, like _Aleppo's_ crew and the Jaffa.

Suddenly she noticed a grunt wobbling around in the vegetation. He was coming towards her casually. He was to close for her to move. She quickly readied her knife and waited. He sniffed and grumbled unhappily. She was swift and before he noticed, jabbed the knife into his skull. He collapsed dead immediately. But, it was only a matter of time before someone missed him.

"Sir, I was forced to take one down to stay hidden," she said over the radio. "Sorry, but they'll miss him sooner or later."

" _Understood Sphinx two,"_ Becky said. _"We are in position. On my mark. Can you and Private Carsen take out the snipers?"_

"Yeah, no problem."

" _Daniel, you and three marines deal with the grunts. I take one of the elites. Pierre and Hageman, Kennedy take the other before moving up the tower and secure the control room."_ Becky was glad that their close range helmet radios seemed to work. She wasn't sure why but a scientist or technician could probably explain it. But without their long range communications, this campaign would be pretty fuckin' short. _"Mark."_

Carsen and Phoenix each released a round from their barrels. Both sped it high velocity and slammed into the head of their intended targets, killing both jackals. Their bodies started tumbling down the stairs. Becky unloaded a barrage upon the unsuspecting elite. He didn't have time to activate his personal shields and was staggered. He turned to her. Around him grunts fell like flies. Two marines fired several burst into the elite.

Kennedy , Hageman and Pierre fired half their mags each into the second elite. He managed to activate his shields in time. A sniper round impacted his shields, catching his attention. He half turned around, fired two plasma bolts into the jungle blindly. That, was all Pierre needed.

He rushed forward and fired the rest of his mag at point blank range into the elites head. The alien collapsed, dead. The other elite leaped for cover and fired at Becky, she dodged. A sniper round from Carsen missed, just barely, the elite.

"Move!" Pierre barked.

He reloaded as Hageman and Kennedy fired into the strange pale alien. It staggered, but fired a shot. The blast missed. He took three shots from Pierre straight into his head and fell over, rolling down the stairs. Hageman and Kennedy was right behind Pierre when he moved up the stairs. Pierre met a jackal as he jogged up. He raised his BR55 and shot him in the face, kicking him over the edge at the next second.

"Nice, man!" Kennedy said impressed.

Hageman rolled his eyes. He could have done the same damn thing. Any trained soldier could. You didn't have to be a freak for that.

Pierre looked around when he reached the top. In the open doorway lied a rotten, yet fresh and newly killed corpse of a human. He wore a green military uniform. There was strange bleeding wound on his chest, through his uniform. Seeing something in the corner of his eye, he turned to the left, aiming, but seeing nothing. Had he been mistaken? His mind playing trick on him? He turned to find an alien standing in the doorway. He had white/blue skin and white long hair. He grinned viciously.

The next second he punched, Pierre, center mass and surprisingly enough for Pierre, forced him back. He fell down the stairs by the punch. Kennedy and Hageman aimed at the alien and Kennedy fired a burst into his chest. He was staggered, but quickly charged and kicked Kennedy to the ground. He grabbed Hageman and threw his rifle away.

"Get off, you!" Hageman shouted defiantly.

The alien threw him off the tower. He screamed until he suddenly hit the ground, dying instantly. The marines and Spartans below heard him and noticed that something was wrong upstairs.

" _What's happening, Sphinx three?"_ Becky asked. _"Sphinx three."_

Kennedy looked terrified as the alien grabbed him and pressed his hand against his chest after tearing some armor off. he screamed as pain ran through his body. He had never felt such pain in his life.

Pierre recovered his bearings and rushed back up the few stairs he had fallen down. He arrived to see the old rotten corpse of Kennedy and the alien removing his right hand from his chest. He fired a burst with the BR55 at him. it barely made him flinch. Instead he got up and punched Pierre. He managed to block it, but the alien kicked him in the gut, forcing him off. he managed to grab the edge and swing himself up, kicking the alien in the head. He drew his pistol and emptied the clip into the alien. He staggered, but remained standing.

"What the fuck are you?" Pierre asked as he got him rifle from the ground. Before the alien could move, he emptied the entire mag into the alien. And finally, freaking finally, it went down, and stayed down. He reloaded the battle rifle in time for Becky and Phoenix to show up.

"What…" Becky started, until she saw Kennedy's body. She started in shock. "W-what the fuck happened to…"

" **That** , happened," Pierre explained in disgust, pointing at the dead alien. "Whatever **that** , is."

Becky eyed the corpse in the doorway. Daniel and the rest of the marines came up and stared in shock. Becky gave them a short explanation.

Phoenix turned away and leaned over the edge, staring into the peaceful jungle. It looked so peaceful land pretty. So much better than that scene behind her. She felt sick just thinking about what she had seen.

Pierre leaned over the first body.

"Hey, they both have the same five marks here, like finger marks on their chest. Maybe that's how he-it, did it." He walked over and checked the aliens right hand. It matched. "Yep, this marks looks, well…"

"So he…fed on our boys?" Daniel asked disgusted.

Becky nodded slowly. She heard one of the marines throw up over the edge. Carsen patted him on the back.

"Don't call it that," Phoenix pleaded.

"What should I call it?" Daniel asked honestly.

She didn't answer. She didn't have a better answer.

"Sir, we popped this guy with three or four mags total and he barely went down. If he…fed," he looked sympathetically at Phoenix. "Could that explain it?"

Becky sighed and looked at the alien freak.

"Maybe. He could have drawn strength from them. The other in the stairs went down faster. That could be an explanation."

"That, is sooooo creepy," a marine said.

Becky tried getting everyone back to the present.

"Daniel, see about finding the jammer and disabling it. We can bring it back," she turned to the marines. "Gather up all Covenant weapons and equipment, including that sharp energy rifle, and look over him-that." She refused to call the alien _him_ or _he_ , after what he did. He was an _it_ now. Also, getting Covenant equipment was something they badly needed, to figure out how it worked and perhaps improve their own weapons. She didn't know how much the _Aleppo_ would aid them in the tech department. When she saw them, their common weapons seemed similar to their own, just different models was all.

They all nodded and carried out their orders. Pierre searched the dead alien. He found a little energy pistol, same color scheme as the sharp barreled energy rifle of the masked one.

"Got it," Daniel called.

"This is Sphinx team to Charlie-Echo-six, come in," she tried.

" _Charlie-Echo-six here, I read you Sphinx team,"_ a female voice came back "I see radios back. You comin' through just fine."

Becky breathed out in relief.

"We're at the Uplink tower in sector 4G and in need of evac."

"Copy, I'm…" she check her sensors. "…fifteen minutes away, droppin' off supplies in a village, plus getting' a good look at those **hot** army trooper guys."

Daniel came out and smirked slightly over the comment. Phoenix shook her head.

"Copy, Charlie-Echo-six, we have some Covenant toys to bring back."

"Wow, oh, that sounds cool. Make that ten. Could try five, if you got any of those hot Spartan guys over there."

Phoenix blinked. Becky was surprised by her comment.

"Yeah, we're here," Pierre said in the sexiest voice he could muster.

"Oh-oh-oh-god!" She woman stuttered horrified. Daniel held back a laugher. "I-I-I, eh…"

"See you in fifteen," Becky finished.

"Y-yes, m-m-ma'am!"

As the channel closed, Daniel broke into laugher. As did Pierre and Phoenix, although Phoenix more giggled than laughed. Becky found it amused too, but kept a cold and firm exterior.

" _Sphinx one, this s General Warfield, I assume you hear my better now."_

"Yes, sir," Becky said, pleased to hear his voice. After all, the man was a war hero. Mathew E. Warfield. Who hadn't heard that name? Every soldier had. He had been there at the beginning of the war thirty years ago.

" _Great work, commander. You've made my job or organizing this jungle a hack of a lot easier. I'm sending in a unit of my troopers to secure the Uplink permanently. I'd hate to throw you into the warzone again, but I need you."_

"We're ready for action, general," she assured him. "Don't worry about us. What's the mission."

" _There's a field seven kilometers from you're position and the Covenant's turning it into basecamp. They're cutting down trees to expand the improvised airfield. That base could threaten the entire area and every unit or village nearby. We can't allow them to use that field as an airfield."_

"Understood. How many Covenant we're talking?"

" _Aleppo's sensors estimate approximately one-hundred hostiles defending, plus turrets and armored vehicles. Although…a lot of those aliens aren't Covenant. A lot of aliens we haven't fought before."_

"Any reinforcements?"

" _Yes. A special team of five is on their way, meet you there. It's a team from the Aleppo, SG18. They know what you're facing and Colonel Callahan assured me they can handle anything. I'm meeting with Callahan in a few minutes to get data and an elaborate explanation on these new aliens and their technology and weaponry."_

Becky recalled the name. they had been the ones on the original meeting and they had infiltrated a Covenant ship.

"Understood, sir. Another point, we got some Covie tech here. Mostly weapons."

" _Good,"_ he said delightfully. _"Excellent news. I'll have it flown back here to the egg heads to take a crack at. Warfield out."_

"Sir."

She turned to her men.

"Taking out a base, huh. Sounds fun," Pierre said honestly. "Wouldn't mind killing a few more aliens."

 **Yorktown orbit,** _ **Malevolence**_

Toby walked with Dentarus and Rtas through a corridor. The two had just be with Toby on a tour of the Super Dreadnoughts factories. Dentarus was very impressed, as was Rtas, but he didn't show it as much. Toby had been ordered to show them Azzadira's second greatest achievement, apart from the _Malevolence_. They entered a large room with thousands of pods. Rtas quickly made the connection.

"The is your cloning chamber? One of them," He inquired.

Toby nodded.

"Yes. This is one of the chambers where Azzadira clones Wraith warriors occasionally. But mostly she uses them to clone her special project."

Rtas arched his eyebrows and clicked his mandibles.

"Special project?"

Toby nodded and stopped by one of the pods. Inside was an alien female. Her hair was long and dark blue, her skin equally, but a lighter color of blue, she were covered in light fur and a tail was visible behind her. She was approximately 2.2 meters in height. Higher than Toby but shorter than Dentarus and Rtas both. Her eyes were currently closed.

"What is she?" Dentarus inquired.

"An Aeyaen." He turned to them. "An all-female race created by Azzadira. A race of clones. They're genetically modified to be bred as expert warriors. Her little ace in the hold. What's more impressive, is that they are bred with their own personalities, and mindset. They aren't mindless killing machines like Wraith warriors. She wanted them to be more…personal."

"How many are onboard?" Rtas asked amazed.

"Currently, a few hundred. More will be bred every day. They are all right now in stasis, waiting to be called to perform their duty to, Azzadira."

Rtas had to make sure this technology was turned over to the Covenant one day. Soon. They needed it. If they could clone soldiers. Just imagine millions of brainless Unggoy marching into battle. An army of brainless soldiers. Unggoy, Kig-Yar, Yanme'e. Who else? Jiralhanae even.

Toby smiled to himself smugly. He imagined the Covenant was starting to wonder who the heck they were allied with. Not to mention her species.

 **Yorktown surface, jungle**

The Puddle jumper landed on the ground and Porter lowered the ramp as it decloaked. Gate put a hand on the pilots shoulder.

"Stay cloaked and hidden, Baker," he told him.

"Don't worry about me, sir," a southern accented man said. "You just worry about that base."

Gate had Wolf, Fox and Porter with him, and sense Stahl was still out, Jovakhin had joined them. The robed figure was as heavily armed as always.

Outside they made the Spartan team. They came out of the woodwork to meet them.

"Nice entrance," Pierre complemented.

"Thanks," Gate replied with a smile.

He turned to the armored figure that looked to be in command.

"Major Benjamin Gate, pleasure."

She nodded back.

"Commander Becky, Sphinx one. You call me commander or Sphinx one."

Gate nodded, appreciating her directness.

She nodded to the rest of her team. "Sphinx, two, three and four. That's Lance Corporal Raynor, commander of the marine squad."

The marines stood on the side, looking on the two teams.

"This is Fox and her sister Wolf, this guy's Lance Corporal Porter." Porter nodded politely. "That robed fella's Jovakhin. One of my men's out of action sense the first encounter with the Covenant so he's our temp."

Fox chuckled loudly and Wolf smirked, but kept it to herself.

Becky gave a subtle nod. "We have a mission to carry out. we have a good sniping position on that mountain ridge northwest of here. Two of my people's going to cover us from there. You have any good marksman?"

Fox stepped up before Gate nominated her.

"Kinda the best around," she said cockily.

Phoenix smirked.

"We'll see, I think."

Fox grinned at her. Gate just nodded that Fox was their best. He also decided to follow the commanders lead. It was her planet and she was the highest ranking officer, not that they were in the same military but that didn't matter now. This wasn't the time to argue rank and protocol.

"We're going to cause a distraction close to the airfield and draw their attention. Lance Corporal Raynor and his three remaining men is going there, could use some support."

"Porter and I can assist there," he offered.

Becky was glad they didn't need to argue who was in command. She had a feeling she was going to get along well with SG18. At first glance, they seemed like good people.

"Ok. Sphinx four and I, plus you two"-referring to Jovakhin and Wolf-"are going to plant explosives on the vehicles, than split up and while our team download their database and disable the command center, you two will cause as much damage as possible. They're gonna send all they got at us at that point."

Gate gave a short nod that everything was perfectly clear.

"We move then it gets dark," Becky added. "Major, does that fancy ship of yours have combat capabilities."

"Shields and drones," he said.

She titled her head.

"Drones?"

"Really advanced space missiles," Fox interjected herself into their discussion. Gate gave her a soft glare and a smirk. "It can't shoot while cloaked though."

She nodded understandingly.

"If you don't mind, I could provide additional fire and take our turrets and tanks."

Gate didn't have a problem with that. Baker had been a little pouty about not getting to jump in an F302 and attack the enemy in the first space battle.

"The pilots gonna love that idea. He's aching for action."

Sweet," Carsen remarked. "Gonna have a cool ship watching our backs. What could possibly go wrong?"

Phoenix glared at him.

"Seriously? Stop jinxing it!"


	10. Ch10 Jungle base

Universal Journey Chapter 10 Jungle base

 **Yorktown surface, jungle, Covenant airfield**

Darkness had fallen and the days was almost spent. The only thing remaining of that day, was the assault on the Covenant basecamp on the field. Gate and his team had filled the Spartans in on what a Wraith basically was and how to deal with them. Unfortunately, they had never seen a war droid before and couldn't offer any insight. To a slight surprise, some of the Wraith warriors and Kig-Yar held staff weapons. It was a slight surprise for them to see, for SG18 anyway. They hadn't expected that.

Right now they got into position. Fox was impressed with the covies basecamp. There were ten or so turrets spread out along the edges of the base. The airfield was surrounded by trenches and Kig-Yar and Wraith soldiers acted as sentries. It was a pretty good defensive position, built in a relatively short time. She laid beside that marine-Carsen-and the Spartan, Sphinx two. She hadn't got a name yet though. Carsen laid a few meters from them. She looked through her assault rifle turned sniper rifle.

"Hmm. Got got a name?" Fox inquired.

"Phoenix," the Spartan replied simply. "What kinda names, Fox, anyway? Named after an animal."

"No, that's just how my sis and I roll," Fox explained, not at all offended.

"You, you got named after animals."

"If you say so. My sis and I ain't from Earth. Despite our pretty looks, we're not human."

That made Phoenix turn her head to star at the pale woman. She was an alien? Fucking great.

She looked at the smaller slender woman beside her. She didn't say anything else, simply looking through her scope over the Covies in the base. A pair of Kig-Yar was being shouted at by an elite. He picked up a grunt by the throat at threw the formerly sleeping alien ten meters forward.

"Nice boss," Fox said sarcastically. When Phoenix didn't say anything, she continued. "How do they stand out with it?"

"Don't really care."

Fox pouted slightly, and wondered if the other Spartans was as boring. Probably, or she just got stuck with the boring one.

"Your Major Gate's teams ready," Phoenix suddenly said. "They're in position. When they make their move, be ready. And try not to miss too much."

"I know how to use a sniper rifle. I'm a great fucking marksman. Just ask Ba'al. Shot two of him in the face." She smiled to herself, knowing Phoenix had no idea what that meant and who Ba'al, was. That made her feel pretty good for a few moments. Phoenix seemed to go back to ignoring her. She decided to fill her in. "He cloned himself."

Phoenix snorted in reply.

"He was a Goa'uld, by the way."

"An alien from you dimension?"

Fox nodded, happy she might be catching the Spartans curiosity.

"A snakelike bugger, drill through your neck and take complete control over your body."

Phoenix shivered at the sound of it. It sounded utterly terrifying.

"The buggers had a god complex and through thousands of years of Earth history, from ancient Egypt up to the fall of Rome and passed, they kidnapped and transplanted humans on other planets and forced them to worship them as gods. There's where the Jaffa's from, you know." Phoenix looked at her, confused and quite curious. "They used to all carry the larvae form of their gods. They were their powerbase, an army of faithful and loyal slaves. The Goa'uld controlled the whole bloody galaxy."

" _Controlled_?" She inquired at the specific phrase.

"Yeah," she replied happily. "The Jaffa's free now and the Goa'uld pretty much extinct. Most use Tritonin instead of the larvae, which they needed to live."

Phoenix snorted.

"So basically, follow or you ain't getting a snake?"

Fox nodded. "Yep." She looked through her scope and followed an elite that was yelling angrily at a wraith commander. He seemed unfazed by it.

"Most of the Goa'uld were slaughtered by the Replicators when they attacked our galaxy. For a moment, you know, the Goa'uld was the only thing keeping the replicators from slaughtering the whole goddamn galaxy."

"What's a blasted…replicator?"

"Tiny little mechanical spider that eat tech and build more of themselves at an incredible rate," the smaller woman explained. "They almost exterminated three galaxies, ours, the Pegasus and…whatever the Asgard called their galaxy. Ida or whatever it was."

"For god's sake, enough with all the names," Phoenix complained. "Stop saying it like I'm supposed to know."

Fox held back a chuckle.

"Sorry. Point is, those things almost slaughtered three galaxies, if not more. Who fuckin' knows how many galaxies the Asgard had traveled to, maybe they fought them in others too."

"They're engaging," Phoenix said. "The distraction's rolling on. Pick targets."

Fox looked carefully through her scope and squeezed the trigger. She dropped an elite. The same second Carsen and Phoenix both dropped one each. They killed elites that was alone and away from any others, leaving no one to see that there were snipers around. Fox aimed at a Wraith.

"Regrow from this asshole," she whispered. She squeezed the trigger hard and a round flew away at high velocity. It cracked through the Wraith's skull and kill him instantly. Quickly she refocused herself on the Wraith warrior a few feet away. She gently sent a bullet through his mask and into his skull. He fell to his knees before falling on his right side, dead.

A grenade from Gate's distraction team took out four grunts and a jackal. Fox spotted two turret operators, a pair of grunts, getting ready to fire.

"Hey, Phoenix," she caught her attention. "See those turrets, eight o'clock."

"I got one, you take the closest," Phoenix said.

Fox wasn't sure why, but that sounded like an insult in her mind. An insult to her skills as a marksman. Though, she didn't care about it now.

Phoenix took hers out first. She blew the grunts little head off.

She carefully aimed at the back of grunts head. As when she fired, the little bugger moved, making her hit the tank of his back. It immediately exploded and took out the turret, also injuring two Wraith warriors covering his right flank. Carsen put a bullet in one of their skulls. The other turned around, looking for the culprit. Phoenix put him down with a bullet through the mask into his head. She was still fuming over the incident at the uplink tower where one of their marines-Kennedy-was brutally killed as one of the Wraith fed upon him, or whatever the fuck they called it. Major Gate had explained some when they asked about the aliens.

"Oh crap," Fox voiced with worry slightly growing. She touch the earpiece in her right ear. "Major, I spot ten of those, android, slash, droid, slash, robot soldiers. Can't identify their weapons. Probably Covenant."

" _Copy-"_

"Negative," Phoenix broke into the conversation. "Never seen those rifles before."

The rifles the war droids used were approximately 1.3 meters long with a bright red color. It had a spot in the back to press against the wielders shoulder, a small scope and a strange crystal bayonet. The crystal was brightly clear blue and sharp. It was attached beneath the barrel. Phoenix assumed it belonged to whoever commanded that huge Super Dreadnought in space.

" _Don't worry so much, Fox. We'll be okay,"_ Gate assured his teammate. _"Let's hope everything's going as planned for the others."_ He seemed slightly too casual for Fox's taste.

Now, Pierre started his part of the distraction. He came out and lobbed a grenade into a squad. It composed of one elite, commanding two grunts, three jackals and one wraith warrior. Both grunts and two jackals was immediately killed by the frag grenade. The elite's shields withheld the impact, the wraith was injured but just staggered slightly. The third jackal was injured and got an arm blown off.

Pierre put him out of his misery with a round through the birdbrains skull. He ducked when the elite fired. The wraith seemed to growl somewhat and fire his stun rifle. Both missed. The Spartan fired a burst from cover, hitting the Wraith's chest, he remained standing, barely flinching.

"Die human filth!" The elite shouted angrily.

With another successful hit, the wraith dropped to one knee. Carsen put a round through him and dropped him. the elites plasma rifle overheated and he threw it at the Spartans cover. He rushed him instead. Pierre got up and fired his BR55 right into his face. He blow both mandibles clean off and put a last burst into his head for good measure, ripping it in two. Pierre killed an unusually brave lone grunt that suddenly rushed him guns blazing.

Phoenix and Fox worked overtime to take out the war droids bulking up the trench facing Major Gate's unit. Carsen was picking off officers first hand. Unfortunately they had realized that there were snipers somewhere, specifically somewhere on the mountain ridge. A few fired aimlessly and randomly after them. Hoping for a damn lucky shot.

When five of the war droids were taken out, three more, plus five wraith warriors led by a wraith commander in the front charged into the fray. The commander ordered a charge. Twenty enemy soldiers charged towards Gate, Porter, Raynor and the other two marines.

"Damnit, covering fire!" Phoenix called.

She and Fox did their best to pop as many as possibly, with Carsen joining in.

"Fall back, Gate!" Fox shouted over the radio. "Fallback!"

A grenade went off and killed two wraith warriors and a jackal. Carsen popped the wraith commander, cutting the offensives head off. fox put a bullet in the throat of a jackal and fired another into the head of a war droid. She had to put another one into its head before it went down.

" _Falling back!"_ Gate called. _"Man down!"_

Pierre moved over the improvised airfield. He shot an elite getting into a Banshee in the head. It impacted the shields and he turned and fired a plasma pistol. The Spartan dodged and jumped out of the way, firing another two burst into his shields. He ducked behind a Dart. Seeing a wraith approaching in running speed, he raised his rifle and fired it straight into him. The alien collapsed, dead. Meanwhile the elite rushed him. Pierre quickly reloaded and put a burst of rounds into the elites head, his shields collapsed and his skull was busted open.

Pierre started placing explosives of the vehicles around him. He hurried and hid explosives on four of them before he looked over to Lance Corporal Raynor's assault. It wasn't looking or sounding good. A lot of Covenant were swarming that specific area.

"Oh, shit," he titled his head, cursing as he saw a Wraith tank approaching. He got on the radio. "Hey, guy's got a Wraith tank-"

At the next moment jumper one uncloaked and Baker fired a drone at the tank when he flew over it. The tank exploded into tiny bits.

"Holy shit!" Pierre exclaimed astonished.

The jumper flew over the shocked Covies and recloaked. After a few moments Baker returned and decloaked. He fired a drone straight into the blob firing at Gate's unit. With shields activated, he flew over the base and readied for another flyover. Pierre planted explosives of two more fighters. He moved on to the Phantom sitting quietly and patiently, just watching. Several pilots started running to man their ships.

Pierre planted a few explosives strategically around the Phantom. If it wouldn't destroy it, it would damage it gravely. Getting behind a building, to safe distance, he got out the detonator and rested his finger of the button. Waiting till the right time, he did it. Half a dozen ships were torn to pieces and the Phantom's hull was ripped apart and the cockpit utterly destroyed. A few moments later Jumper one swooped in and fired three drones, cleaning up what was left around the airfield. Every ship on the airfield was in rubble, burning along with bodies of the pilots that tried taking off, but failed.

Panic seemed to rise in the basecamp. The grunts were mostly running around screaming in terror. An elite pommeled one and shot two as they refused to stop and listen. Some elites managed to gather some grunts into squads among the chaos. Only a handful of eleites was still alive. The building housing the command center was fortified by a group of six wraith that entered it.

The jumper swung back around and targeted a Wraith tank. One drone was enough to destroy it completely.

Wolf readied her P90 as Jovakhin reloaded his M16 own. With a nod, both jumped into the entrance of the command center. They opened fire and unloaded their full clips into the wraiths and two jackal technicians inside. In under ten seconds everything moving inside was dead, twitching on the ground. Jovakhin reloaded again and put a few rounds in the skull of a few of the hostiles just in case.

Jovakhin stood guard as he started downloading the Covenant database. Wolf skimmed through the files, looking over what might be important. She noticed several mentions to 'Dagger base'. She didn't know what it was, but it must be a UNSC base, she presumed. The file she found mentions artifacts of the gods and ancient power. It didn't make much sense to her. But, the Spartans could probably understood it.

They heard an explosion, assuming it was Baker. She hoped he was careful with those drones. They couldn't exactly get more once they were out.

Wolf looked over her shoulder at Jovakhin.

"Think those Spartan doing ok? One and four."

"They looked capable," he replied neutrally.

"What about, Gate?" She asked with worry.

"He's fine," he reassured her. "You really think he's gonna let any of these aliens kill him?"

She smirked slightly and shrugged, feeling a little better.

"Suppose not."

"Incoming!" Jovakhin shouted.

Wolf turned to him in time to see him leap at her. He forced her to the ground, and shielded her body with his own. The next second a plasma grenade exploded. It tore up the front wall and destroyed several terminals. Wolf's ears rang and everything was fussy. Jovakhin rolled off of her and gave a quick gaze around. He noted that his M16 was two meters from him, too far to reach for now. He pulled up two zat'nik'tel and aimed at the smashed front. Three grunts appeared firstly. He fired six blasts with the zats, killing all of them. A plasma pistol went off, but the grunt missed when he was shot the first time. The next second a wraith commander got into sight. He had a stun pistol in his hands. He aimed at Jovakhin but he was slightly faster and fired. Three shots hit him, not only killing but, disintegrating him completely.

He got up, not even stumbling once at all. Meanwhile Wolf's ears still rang loudly and she heard almost nothing else. Her vision was fussy and her head felt heavy. Jovakhin fired his zats again, but she couldn't see at what. The enemy was outside and there were a little too much smoke from the destruction by the grenade. She moaned painfully, trying to sit up. She was amazed at how he just stood there, he wasn't taking cover, just standing there shooting. He was both crazy and absolutely amazing.

She started hearing voices in her earpiece.

" _Wolf! Jovakhin!"_ It was Fox's voice. She sounded frantic, both worried and frightened.

" _Jovakhin, what's your status?!"_ She heard Gate's concerned voice. He must have seen the explosion. _"Wolf, say something!"_

Jovakhin turned to her and helped her back on her feet. He supported her by putting an arm below her shoulders.

"You'll be okay," he assured her.

She was too fussy and dizzy to respond with anything else but a groan. She saw him pointing up. She did as asked and saw two 'pelicans' coming in over the area. They found some spots to land on around the smashed debris of the former Covenant aero ships. A dozen army troopers swarmed out of both pelicans. Probably reinforcements from Warfield.

"About time. Cleaning squads arrived," she heard Jovakhin comment neutrally.

 **Yorktown surface, bunker complex under parliament building**

Callahan looked around as she walked into the command center and heart of the bunker. She and Bra'tac was there to meet with the Joint chiefs. In her opinion, it was about time. With half a day gone by sense the beginning of the invasion, it was about time they met to discuss further cooperation. Bra'tac came alone, Callahan came with Woolsey and two marines in black gear and uniforms. They had M16s. they were escorted by a pair of UNSC ODSTs.

The man she spoke to before getting down here, General Warfield, came to meet them. He shook her hand firmly.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you face to face," he greeted. "General Mathew E. Warfield, colonel."

"The pleasures all my, general," she retorted.

Bra'tac reached forward and grabbed his lower side of his arm. Warfield did the same, assuming it was some kind of greeting for _Jaffa_.

"Greetings general."

"If you follow me, this way," he said, walking towards the table the Joint chiefs was gathered by.

Warfield was less than pleased that Colonel Wadsworth was present, as was Major Dare. Both ONI officers wasn't very likable or trustworthy. In his opinion, the ONI often did it harder to achieve victory. They probably came to propose the same as a few hours ago. Wadsworth had suggested boarding _Aleppo_ , and all four of Bra'tac's ships, assuming control by force and arresting all crew members for interrogation by the ONI. The Joint chiefs quickly dismissed it after his and Admiral McKenzie's input, although, they would probably had done that anyway, he supposed. They knew the other dimensional humans and Jaffa was a great asset to be used in defending Yorktown, and possibly turning the tide of the whole damn war.

"Ah, glad you could join us so fast," General Hathaway said politely. He gestured for them to take a seat at the table.

They all took a seat. With the generals on one side, Wadsworth and Dare on the other-the left side, Warfield on the edge of the right and Woolsey, Bra'tac and Callahan in the middle of that side.

"First of all," Admiral Geraldino spoke up. "We appreciate that you are installing shields onboard our vessels. We are eternally grateful for that."

"Don't mention it," Callahan said, raising her hand slightly. "We're happy to land any help possible."

The admiral nodded slowly. He turned to Bra'tac.

"Master Bra'tac. We appreciate equally you lending your men to aid us. With Jaffa securing one of our airfields, we can be sure that it won't fall so easily. We've lost five out of six airfields around Brighthelm. Our air forces are being crippled." Bra'tac nodded with a polite smile. "Also, we're very thankful for you allowing us to station fighters onboard your vessels. We appreciate that. We need all available landing zones and Carriers open for our fighters."

The admiral paused, while General Hawke leaned forward.

"Let's get to the point. That Super Dreadnought, we have nothing that can get through its shields. Do either of you possess anything that can destroy it?" He knew it was a long shot, but he had to ask.

"Unfortunately, I do not," Bra'tac admitted.

Callahan leaned over the table.

"We've been throwing ideas back and forth for the last few hours. Our leading scientist, Doctor Rodney McKay, is working on trying to find a way to beam a number of enhanced nukes through their shields, but that doesn't look possibly, right now anyway." She paused, letting them answer if they had a question on that. "Also, we possess a number of specific smaller space crafts that possess a type of…eh, missile, we call them drones. They can pass through shields-" she saw that the group looked quite amazed at that, plus very hopeful. "But…this race that created them, they were referred to as, the Ancients, Alterans or Lantians. Scans reveal that the Super Dreadnought's shields are partially operating with their technology. How? God only knows."

"Which means?" Geraldino asked for them all.

"That-" Woolsey cut in. "-our drones can't pass through their shields. Sense they created the drone technology, they also created shields that could prevent it."

"We have one possible plan. If they lower their shields, we can cloak a jumper and simply fly over and take out the bridge," Callahan continued. "The Puddle jumper in orbit is on standby in case our sensors pick up that they dropped their shields."

Hathaway sighed deeply.

"Colonel," Geraldino said. "We're taking large casualties and damage planetside from those damned Corvettes. They're outgunning our fighters and stay clear of guns big enough to shoot them down."

"I will dispatched two of my Ha'taks to enter the atmosphere and hunt down Corvettes that isn't over habited areas," Bra'tac declared.

Geraldino smiled a little.

"Thank you, master Bra'tac. Every pit helps."

Wadsworth decided he had been quiet for too long.

"Excuse me, but those energy weapons of yours, those you used to blow a few ships apart," he started vehemently. "If you provide us with them, we can install them on our fleet." He pointed the question to both Callahan and Bra'tac.

"My Ha'taks main weapons would take weeks to make compatibly and install onboard your vessels," Bra'tac explained.

Before Callahan could respond, Hathaway interjected himself. He knew from McKenzie that she wasn't up for the idea of surrendering their beam weapons to them, not now. Them demanding it would just hurt the newborn alliance. Baby steps, well…kind of.

"As we saw, there weapons cannot damage the Super Dreadnoughts shields much more than us. It would also take, a presume, days to install it on just one ship, but on a whole damned fleet?" he gave a light chuckle. "It'll take time to install the shields already."

Wadsworth glanced in his direction. He held his displeasure hidden.

"Any advantage might be enough to safe our world," he said with ire building underneath.

"We need to focus of solutions that won't take more time than we have," General Warfield said bluntly. "Our troops our dying trying to halt the Covenant's landings somewhat. We need a big victory to make them stop and reassess their capabilities and our forces abilities." He nodded to Bra'tac. "Them shooting apart a few Corvettes is part of that, but we need to build of what we have."

Generals Burke and Hathaway nodded in agreement.

Callahan leaned back in her chair. This was going to be a long meeting. She had a feeling about that.

Hathaway leaned forward slightly further, resting on his elbows.

"Colonel Callahan…do, you have coordinates to Earth in your computer systems?" he spoke in a serious and worried tone.

The other Joint chiefs and all UNSC personal around the table almost froze and stared at Callahan. Her eyes had first been on Wadsworth. She noticed he looked extremely worried.

"We do," she admitted slowly, watching for their reaction.

Hathaway leaned back and sighed heavily. By the looks of it, no one had wanted her to give that answer. They all looked worried and gravely concerned.

"What's the problem?" She asked. She assumed this had something to do with the Covenant.

"You see, colonel," Warfield took over. "The Covies doesn't know the location of Earth. That's one reason why this war has taken over three decades. They don't know the locations of all out planets. We cannot allow them to get coordinates to Earth. Never."

Callahan looked at him, before looking at Woolsey and to the Joint chiefs.

"If we were boarded, we can delete any data concerning that. I'd destroy the Aleppo before letting the Covenant take it," she said vehemently with a determined tone.


	11. Ch11 The vault

Universal Journey Chapter 11 The Vault

 **Yorktown surface, jungle**

 **7** **th** **day**

Rtek looked around from the hill they were on. The jackal looked at the wraith commanders weapon. He had a stunner rifle in his hands. The rifle that could only stun an enemy. Which, to him, seemed like a bad idea. Should just kill them.

"Wouldn't a weapon that actually kills be better?" He enquired.

The wraith looked coolly at him.

"Just saying," he said defensively. "Better to kill your enemy than stun them. That way they ain't coming back for ya."

"If need be, I have one of your Covenant plasma pistols. However, it would seem foolish to create a weapon to kill our food supply," the wraith finally responded.

Rtek shivered.

"Don't even mention it. Knowing how you eat is just creepy." He looked over at him. "Seriously, you should go for one of these." He raised his sniper rifle. "This, is a real weapon."

The wraith grimaced, annoyed by the Kig-Yar's presence.

The Kig-Yar looked at him silently.

"What?"

"I'm just thinking. You need a name. How about Grek?"

The wraith sighed.

"Grek?"

Rtek nodded simply.

"He was a great philosopher a thousand years ago. Very dead now though. Unlike you, we don't live forever. We die of old age or get shot by humans. Properly the latter in the last three decades, at least."

"A fatal flaw in most species."

"Getting shot or die of age?"

"The latter."

Rtek shrugged. "Perhaps. Hmm, how about it? Grek?"

The wraith rolled his eyes.

"Very well, I suppose it will make communications between us easier. Mistress Azzadira also prefer names, which I don't get."

"You really don't get the name thing?"

Grek-as he was newly named-shook his head.

"It seems pointless to me."

A pair of Kig-Yar snipers walked up the hill towards them.

"Sir," one of them said. "We have received orders from General Thel'mola to dispatch three Platoons to support his attack on the last airfield."

Rtek started laughing, earning a glance from Grek.

"The bastard demands help, huh?" He said as he continued laughing. "Said he'd fix those airfields in a few hours, well, it's been a day and still counting. Sangheili pride and honor and all that bullshit."

"I will send a Platoon of my warriors," Grek assured, half ignoring Rtek.

"Yeah, yeah," Rtek waved nonchalantly. "I'll send him two Platoons. Hopefully three Platoons will be enough to deal with it."

"A capable commander would have dealt with it already," Grek stated.

Rtek chuckled and grinned at him.

"A man after my own heart," he joked, continuing to laugh.

He stopped when he heard gunfire nearby. He grabbed his communicator.

"What's going on?" He quickly asked.

" _3_ _rd_ _Lance here, sir,"_ a Kig-Yar responded. _"We've encountered a lone squad of humans. Army armor. 4_ _th_ _and 2_ _nd_ _Lances assisting."_

"Understood, deal with them swiftly."

" _Yes, sir."_

"How's your fighters doing?" He turned to the wraith and asked.

The wraith grumbled down in his throat before answering.

"Good, our Darts have captured six squads of human soldiers. Army troopers, as I understand. They have been added to our food stores."

Rtek shivered. He didn't like how pleased Grek sounded over that. He wouldn't even wish humans to end up with such a fate. Not even the blasted Jiralhanae or Sangheili, hell, not even the prophetic bastards ruling the Covenant. Not even the Prophets deserved that.

The same Kig-Yar as before turned to him again.

"Another message, sir."

"From Thel'mola, again?"

"No, sir. From _Malevolence_ , Fleet master Demmuda and Mistress Azzadira. They've agreed to initiate the assault of Dagger base sooner than anticipated and put Field Marshal Kaaldrumee in command."

"Thought he was assaulting the city with command of the third force around it," Rtek said.

"Change of plans I guess, sir. After Demmuda's failure to catch the human ships in orbit and Thel'mola's failure to catch the last airfield, they might have decided to change their plans."

Rtek chuckled. After all, no battle plan survived contact with the enemy.

"Ha! The Sangheili's failures force them to change plans!"

Grek didn't understand why that was so hilarious. Maybe it was a Kig-Yar, Sangheili rivalry thing. They didn't seem to like each other. Actually, no one of the Covenant races seemed to like each other this far. Not from what he had heard and seen.

"Does the Field Marshal require our forces?" He asked, ignoring the Kig-Yar.

The Kig-Yar major nodded.

"They want us to dispatch half our forces there to meet Kaaldrumee at the coordinates they sent us already. But, we need to hold up our presence here with strong forces."

Rtek rolled his eyes.

"We'll leave three Company's here and take the other four with us," he decided.

"Inform the _Malevolence_ that we may require additional forces here to prevent UNSC movements in this area," Grek said.

The Kig-Yar nodded, glancing at Rtek, whom nodded subtly. "Yes, sir."

 **Yorktown surface, Dagger base**

For hours Covenant fighters had attacked the base, but they had been mostly fought off with anti-air batteries, turrets and their own fighters. Several squadrons of strange androids-war droids-had been seen in the affinity an hour or so before two-hundred of them assaulted the base. The army garrison, plus ONI security forces and one-hundred Jaffa warriors had held them off, with minimal casualties, just thirty-three dead and twenty-eight injured.

The leader of the Jaffa force, Ky'anat-put in command by Bra'tac-looked out from his position near a turret held by a trooper, his staff weapon held at his side. He knew that the attack had been an attempt to see how they defended themselves and weaken and discover their positions. With those robots, they suffered no actual casualties. They would be back in force, he knew it.

He was right as they assaulted the base again, from four directions. The first forces he spotted was grunts, wraith warriors and some Kig-Yar with shields. They were accompanied by elites.

"Jaffa, kree!" He shouted.

He leveled his staff and opened fire. The others fired along with him. The trooper at the turret opened up a barrage of fire into the Covenant advancing ranks.

"Take this you fuckers!" The PFC cried out. "Die already!"

Next to Ky'anat, a fellow Jaffa went down with two plasma hits to the chest. Ky'anat ducked back behind cover and fired his staff carefully at a Kig-Yar. He hit him center mass, killing him immediately. The bird alien fell backwards by the blast. He aimed at an elite and shot off an energy blast. It impacted his shields, but staggered him. he looked furiously for whoever took a shot at him. He fired his plasma rifle at a random Jaffa, hitting him in the head.

Ky'anat fired two shots at the red armored elite. The shields failed and the elite stumbled back. He fired two more blasts and killed him. A few grunts started running in horror.

"Leader dead!"

"Run!"

"We all gonna die!"

"Halt worm food!" One of the remaining elites shouted fuming at their cowardice. He shot one of them, making the others halt and turned right in their tracks. "Get back in there!"

They seemed convinced as they charged in a mad dash towards the defenders, possibly trying to end any suffering quickly? The turret mowed them all down in seconds. Ky'anat shot at a Kig-Yar's shield, making him stagger slightly. Two mother Jaffa shot at the same. The force of the attack made the Kig-Yar fall over and a final shot killed him.

"We can take them boys!" The human Staff Sergeant screamed positively. "We'll show them not to mess with the army!"

"Yes sarge!" Two men shouted back.

The turret gunner took a hit to his face, blowing his head almost apart.

"Get on that turret, private!" the Staff Sergeant ordered.

The Poor private was shot by a sniper before he reached it. Ky'anat motioned one of his Jaffa to occupy the turret. He did this successfully and took down a wave of grunts and Kig-Yar. He was eventually shot in the head, too.

A mass of twenty elites came out of the woodwork and attacked them, guns blazing. They charged quickly towards the defending men.

"Gotta fall back!" The army officer yelled.

Ky'anat looked at him. It was time to retreat to their secondary positions. He nodded in response.

"Jaffa, withdraw!"

The enemy retreating made the last six grunts alive brave enough to lead the charge with the elites right behind. They charged forward between the smashed bunker and building, into the yard on the other side. Suddenly they ran straight into four Jaffa defensive turret. The larger staff weapons mounted on them opened up together with Jaffa and troopers. The six grunts went down immediately. The elites wasn't far behind. They lost the first six that rounded the corner. The seventh fired off a shot before dying. The remainder started pulling back, temporarily. A grenade was lobbed over. It exploded near a turret, killing the Jaffa operator and two troopers. Another Jaffa tried to take over, but the turret was too damaged and no longer operational.

The elite officers sent three lances of Kig-Yar up. They came up with shields, but against the force of three Jaffa defense turrets, they were quickly slaughtered. They did managed to hit a Jaffa, injuring him greatly. The Kig-Yar pulled back after eight dead comrades.

The troopers celebrated with cheers, but that stopped when a pair of Phantoms swooped in overhead. Their first shots was at the control tower for their small airfield. They blasted it apart, making it come down.

"Die, you cheating alien fuckers!" A trooper shouted.

He earned a glance from a few Jaffa, but they had bigger problems to deal with.

"Bring it down!" Ky'anat ordered.

As the turrets started firing on the Phantoms, the Covenant charged again. A pair of Squads of four wraith warriors each was first in. They used stun rifles, those strange rifles used by the war droids and Covenant plasma rifles. Behind them came grunts and two wraith commanders. A shot from a Phantom blew a turret apart, killing the operator and six other men. Another hit took out the last two turrets and killed twelve, injuring six others. Injured men screamed as the covies advanced.

With the defense practically broken, the elites rejoined the fight. Almost thirty of them attacked. Ky'anat shot a wraith in the head, blowing it clean off. He shifted his staff, shooting and killing a grunt and with another slight shift, killing another wraith.

One of the troopers started bolting. The Staff Sergeant reached for him.

"Hold your ground, Hollander!" he firmly told him.

The young trooper turned around.

"Don't fuckin' touch me!" He unloaded his BR55 into his commanding officers chest.

He squeezed the trigger endlessly, hitting a trooper in the leg, another in the head and a wraith in the chest. All three hit the ground. When his battle rifle was clicking empty, he threw it away and started running as fast as he could. A Jaffa turned and shot at him, trying to stop the maniac. Hollander-as the sergeant called him-was faster, rolling and grabbing his pistol and firing ten shots at the Jaffa. The Jaffa was shot in the back by a wraith. Hollander continued firing at the dead Jaffa until his pistol was dry. He threw his pistol away and grabbed a BR55 off a dead trooper and started running again.

"You not gettin' me!" He screamed frantically. "Not fuckin' me!"

Ky'anat had seen soldiers break before and run, but he had never seen one kill comrades while doing it, not like that. He hadn't time for him, otherwise he would have killed him. Currently he dropped an elite. He fired again, taking down a wraith. A Jaffa beside him was cut down by an elite with an energy sword. He quickly turned to the elite and shot him at point blank in the gut twice. He turned swiftly and shot down an elite charging him with an energy sword as he roared.

Ky'anat spotted two new aliens on the roof of a nearby building. They were blue skinned, with a tail with long dark blue hair and red and orange eyes respectively. They wore light and tight dark green armor and each one of those alien assault rifles with a crystal bayonet. One of them fired at him. A purple bolt in a high velocity came towards him and smacked into his chest armor. He staggered slightly and winched at the burning sensation of pain.

He shifted his staff and jumped to the side, avoiding a charging elite. He shot him in the head, shifting back to fire a blast at the new blue skinned aliens. She avoided the blast narrowly. The other fired two bolts, which he ducked from and started retreating.

"With me!" His remaining men came towards him firing their staffs.

One cried out as an elite gutted him with an energy sword. He heard screams of pain suddenly. He saw a wraith warrior hunched over an injured trooper. He couldn't see what was happening but assumed the trooper was being fed on, as he had been told they could do.

Three of his Jaffa were standing in a line, shooting at everything moving in front of them. They took down two elites with their barrage. All three were injured, but holding on. A shot from the Phantom took them out. Not to mention ripping apart the two injured men behind them. The two Phantoms was wreaking havoc in the area, destroying everything in sight.

Ky'anat took another hit to the chest and one to his knee from the new alien ladies. The attractive females kept shooting at him and his men from a crouched position. He cringed because of the pain but kept shooting. He took down the last wraith in the force, turning on an elite shooting at him. He took a hit in the gut, falling to the ground.

As the elite approached him, he gripped his staff weapon tightly and raised his head and placed two shots into the elites chest. He turned and fired at the two alien females. Again, he missed both of his three blasts. A purple bolt swished passed him. He fired again, finally hitting one. The blast hit her in the chest, throwing her back and either killing or injuring her. The other became angry and fired faster. A bolt hit beside him, as one hit his chest, tearing apart the armor. He groaned in the pain and saw an elite ready to shot him dead and two more came towards him quickly.

 **Yorktown surface, Dagger base, 3** **rd** **armory**

Lt. Colonel Kenmore opened the locker and picked out the pistol inside, plus a few extra magazines. He put it on him and continued with the BR55 battle rifle. He added the extra mags that came with it, a few grenades and a combat knife. He wore the black armor of ONI security, but without the helmet. Behind him was a squad of five security officer, all of them in black armor. They had MA5s and BR55s combined between them. They all had black tinned visors.

A sixth man came towards them. He had the same black armor.

"Sir," he said. "I have four teams placed in defensive positions on all entry points in this sector. Two men are getting explosives to detonate the elevators if the covies come this far. I have also dispatched both ODST squads to protect the command center."

Lt. Colonel Kenmore turned to him and closed the locker.

"Good work, commander. But dispatch one of them to the vault. It's more important. How many squads are down outside the vault?"

"Three, sir, but two are regular army troopers. I still have three squads inside the vault. You want to pull them out to defend the base?"

Kenmore shook his head.

"Not gonna happen, Lt. Commander. They'll be the last line if the aliens break through. If they get into the Vault…we can't let them get inside the vault. Alert all science teams below to decrypt their research and all terminals. We need to be ready for the worst."

The Lt. commander nodded firmly and obediently.

"Think reinforcements will get here in time, sir?"

Kenmore started walking, all of them following him.

"They better, Dato, they better. Let's move out."

They hurried down a corridor towards a junction. They passed by a squad of Jaffa heading in the other direction. They carried a pair of wounded troopers with them.

"Never thought they'd let aliens in here," Lt. Commander Dato Dexter murmured.

Kenmore looked over his shoulder at him as Dexter assumed a position beside him.

"I never thought aliens would help saving this base," he said harshly in response.

Dexter picked the-not so hidden-hit up.

"Not used to working with aliens, sir," he explained.

"Who is, Lt. Commander, who is?" Kenmore asked rhetorically. He paused for a moment. "Without those Jaffa, this base might already have fallen. The Covenant doesn't know how to fight them, making it easier to gun them down."

"Agreed, sir," Dexter fell in line. "The Covenant's using full frontal assaults and heavy weapons to kill them. They're just upping their usual tactics to withstand their brutally efficient weapons. Sir, we're not letting them protect the vault, are we?"

Kenmore chuckled slightly.

"Not a chance, Dato. I'll never let them close to it. Only ONI personal gets inside. That's why they're protecting the perimeter. Partially, that is."

Kenmore continued walking with the squad and Dexter with him. They moved until they arrived at the elevators. They encountered the ODST team that he ordered to be send down to guard the vault door. They were confused as to why they had to protect the bloody titanium gate. A massive five meters tall silvery titanium gate, round and two meters thick. Instead of guarding the perimeter and holding off the covies. But, they followed their orders without question, just some curious inquiries.

Kenmore and his team went from the upper level down to level five, but between level five and lever four was one-hundred meters. Outside the elevator on level five was a five terminals, with one technician and a security squad of six soldiers in black armor. One of them had a machinegun targeting the two elevator shafts. Beside him was a woman with an M90 shotgun. Two stood, half hiding behind the corners of the doorway further into the level, BR55s ready. One was covering the technician and the last had a rocket launcher and stood in the background with full line of sight.

They saluted Kenmore and the Asian man saluted them back. He gestured for the security squad with him to move up and into the other room. They did and jogged passed him. In the other room the ODST squad of five, plus a squad of eight ONI security and two squads of troopers.

An sergeant from the troopers walked up to him.

"Sir, what's the word up top?"

"Covenant breaking through. They're assaulting the main building itself. They'll make their way down here sooner or later. We'll give 'em hell."

"Damn right, sir," the sergeant agreed.

Kenmore got a look around before going back out to the technician. He leaned forward towards the terminals. Dexter followed in his steps.

"Any word from inside yet?"

"Sir, two security squads have taken up defensive posts on the other side of the vault door," the technician explained. "The third isn't responding, last check in, said they had a minor situation to deal with."

Kenmore titled his head with a frown.

"And, the science teams?"

"They're working as quickly as they can. Still, it'll take some time."

Kenmore nodded slowly.

"Hopefully it's all unnecessary work."

 **Yorktown surface, jungle, jumper one**

Gate, Jovakhin and Porter was sitting with Baker in the cockpit, as Wolf and Fox sat in the back with the four Spartans and three remaining marines. General Warfield had dispatched them to assist Dagger base, with Colonel Callahan agreeing to it, but telling her people to be extremely careful and not take too many risks. The other jumper would meet them with reinforcements. Stahl had finally been allowed to rejoin them and Rodney was also joining them. He had finished upgrading the shields aboard _Open Heavens_. His engineering teams was working hard to fix up the remainder of the UNSC fleet, it it would take time.

"How's the situation at the base?"

Gate asked.

Baker brought up a map and looked it over.

"Detecting twelve Covenant signatures identified as Phantoms in the immediate area. Five more heading away, plus one goddamn Corvette sitting nearby, shooting down any fighters or whatnot getting too close. Got hundreds of hostiles groundside. Reading a lot of alien signatures inside the base itself."

"This is going to be a hard one," Porter said.

"Not that hard, really," Daniel assured from the back.

"Yeah," Pierre said. "There's gonna be a lot of grunts around. I'd count a third."

"Don't assume that," Becky interjected. "A base like this, gonna be an important target. Expect a lot of elites and wraith."

Gate looked back at them and nodded.

"That damned airfield wasn't too damn hard," Pierre argued.

"But this is a battlefield, with a lot of warriors. The airfield had a lot of easier troops like those robots and grunts. Not too hard to deal with. But with ten elites charging you. You might just find it a bit harder."

"Why we always get the hard missions?" Fox inquired frowning.

"You scared?" Phoenix mocked.

Wolf reacted before Fox did.

"Hey shut it," she warned. "Don't imply she's a coward. She's a better soldier then you'll ever be."

Phoenix got up from her seat at that, as did Wolf the next second.

"Hey, hey!" Gate called.

Becky stood up quickly and got in front of Phoenix.

"Sit down, Sphinx two. Now."

Phoenix looked at Wolf and over to Gate, then back to Becky. She then sat back down. Slowly Wolf did the same, glaring at the Spartan still. Fox was happy that her sister had jumped to her defense. She smiled proudly.

 **Yorktown surface, dagger base, level five, behind the vault door**

The corridor behind the vault door ran down ten meters before getting to a junction. It was an excellent ambush point for the two squads of security there. They weren't sure if the covies could even get through, maybe. If they took down their guys on the other side, then they could blast their way through it. Not a lot could get through that door. Including noises such as screaming and gunshots.

A major sat leaned against the wall, relaxing before possible action. There was eleven men here. All three ways through the junction was blocked by them. Straight forward waited four men, to the left was five and another three. Straight forward was two machineguns. When the Covenant advanced, they would fall back slightly to another positon among the alcoves a few meters back, drawing the aliens into the junction to be torn apart by a three pointed firing line.

"I'm gonna hang out my washing on the Siegfried line, cause the washing day is here," one of the men sang to himself. He sat by the second machinegun.

Maybe it was a shame that the vault door was so thick. If it wasn't they could have been able to hear something. They could have heard the gunfire or if nothing else the screaming from the two security teams. The horrible screams of terror, fear and overwhelming pain clouding all other senses. Screams that echoed through the corridors of the vaults inside. Screams of hollow pride fading and hopelessness grasping.


	12. Ch12 Into the vault

Universal Journey Chapter 12 Into the vault

 **Yorktown surface, Dagger base**

Kenmore had dealt with the last line of defense. It was done and now he had to deal with the main buildings defenses. As he marched through the corridor from the elevator he heard gunshots and shouting. He had to stop the Covenant from reaching the vault, but he wouldn't risk everyone of these brave men and aliens to do it. The Jaffa was putting up a hell of a fight.

" _Sir!"_ Came over the radio. _"Colonel!"_

"Colonel Kenmore here, report," he quickly responded.

" _We're…"_ he was interrupted by gunfire. _"…outnumber, can't hold them!"_

"Where are you soldier?"

" _Command center, too many of-"_ he was cut off by an explosion. Probably a plasma grenade.

"Goddamn it!" Kenmore cursed.

The command center had been lost. He should have assigned more men, but he had to protect the vault. The vault was too important. He stopped completely and listened. Footsteps, too heavy to be his own. More like an elite, or a few elites maybe. He readied his BR55 and sneaked closer to the corner. They had definitely breached the perimeter, which meant that most of the Jaffa were dead or trapped somewhere, cut off from them. Most of the army troopers were probably dead too.

He rounded the corner and stood face to face with an elite. He jumped back and fired a burst into the alien. The elite stumbled by the hit, but didn't fall. He aimed his plasma rifle. Kenmore quickly ducked around the corner.

"Kill the human!" The elite shouted to his grunts.

Kenmore aimed around the corner and fired a burst into the elite again, hitting his eye socket and blowing straight through his skull. The grunts quickly scrambled for safety. He let them go, not wanting to waste ammo on them.

It was probably only a matter of time before the Covies came down to level five and tried to get through the vault. Hopefully Dexter could hold them off with the men down there. They held a good choke point. Only a few could come down the elevator at a time.

He reached for his earpiece.

"Dexter."

" _Sir."_

"Give me an update from the vault."

A moment went by.

" _Sir, security's not responding anymore. We can't make contact with the science teams either. Could be a communication issue,"_ Dexter said. "Covies scrambling the specific area."

Kenmore thought about it. With them sealed up and contained, there could be no problem inside. Besides Doctor Silas said he was close to a way to achieve control. Could the Covenant have found a way inside? The back entrance? No, no. He would have heard about it by now. If the Covenant had overrun the bunker and used the elevator, he'd known by now.

"I need you to send a message to the Spartan fireteam. Tell them to head to the bunker and get down into the vault through the elevator."

" _You sure, sir?"_

"Positive. We need to make sure everything is fine. The UNSCs greatest possibility to win this war is down there. Dagger base is expendable. Just like the troopers and Jaffa. Just like you and me, and all ONI security officers."

" _Copy. I'll get right on it. Dexter out."_

Kenmore was confident in his beliefs. They had to protect the vault at all cost. He didn't like the idea, but what options did he have?

 **Yorktown surface, Dagger base**

Rtek sneaked around the corner with a needler in his hands. Grek was with him, plus five wraith warriors. He cursed loudly as he looked over the carnage. Bodies of Unggoy, Kig-Yar, wraiths, Jaffa and a few Sangheili littered the ground. It was more like a massacre than a battle. Forty Covenant bodies or so, and twelve Jaffa. A bloody massacre. He spat.

"Damn Sangheili holy bastards, using the rest of us as cannon fodder."

Grek looked at him for a moment.

A lance of five Kig-Yar with shields and plasma pistols came up and joined them.

"Any word on how many humans remaining?" Rtek asked them.

"Some holding out in bunkers or isolated buildings. The yards under our control and the main buildings almost ours. Field Marshal Kaaldrumee sent in the Sangheili and wraith to crush the remaining resistance. Apparently some of those commando females from malevolence is here. The tall and pretty ones."

"How much higher than the humans are our casualties? Kig-Yar specifically?" he ignored the statement about the female commandos pretty looks. He liked their looks to, but this wasn't the time.

The Kig-Yar soldiers hesitated first.

"Well, sir…I'm afraid compared to the human and Jaffa, we lost four times more soldiers. The Unggoy lost eleven times more men, we think, haven't counted all casualties yet. Sangheili casualties are below that of dead hostiles."

Rtek wasn't surprised. For all that glory and honor stuff, they really preferred to throw everyone else at the enemy first. He snorted with disgust.

"We better get moving," Grek suggested.

Rtek nodded.

"Alright. Enough mourning. Let's move."

At first he had seen little trouble with the plan. His men was providing cover with snipers and close support with their energy shields. But then Kaaldrumee ordered him to send his forces into close combat, which wasn't good fighting ground for a lance of trained marksmen. Grek hadn't cared much given the massive wraith casualties overall. That was probably a wraith thing.

He looked left when he saw four blue skinned aliens. It was those attractive Aeyaen's he'd heard about. With their light fur and blue skin, their tail and pretty eyes. For aliens, they were pretty good looking.

"What's the word of the Aeyaen casualties?" He asked.

"Three dead," a Kig-Yar replied. "Word is they've killed eighty men or so between them. Given that there were fifteen of them here, that's pretty awesome."

"Were?"

"More arrived on a transport. Twenty actually. We intercepted some orders too boss. Looks like they're going into the underground structure with the Sangheili. Love to see that pissing contest over who's in charge."

Rtek laughed. He agreed completely. Grek tried to ignore him.

Walking through a destroyed doorway, they entered the main building. They met up with a lance of five Unggoy, led by a Kig-Yar major. Another group joined them from a junction on their right side. It was led by two wraith commanders, commanding four Unggoy, two wraith warriors and a Kig-Yar major.

"Commander," the first wraith commander greeted.

Grek nodded.

"The Aeyaen's want us to secure the elevators," he explained.

"Then, we should not wait," Grek advised.

The second wraith commander nodded.

"Yes commander. They lie in a corridor north us here."

 **Sagan-Gyaah galaxy, sector U12, Falcon system, orbit over Rygaal 3**

 _ **Sight of Mercury's**_ **bridge**

 **4,205 years ago**

The only two habited systems in the Falcon system was Rygaal 3 and Rygaal 1. The other five planets was completely uninhabitable. Rygaal 3 was surrounded by a massive fleet of six-hundred warships. The largest was a white hulled Dreadnought. It was sixty-five kilometers in length and seven kilometer across from starboard to port. The Dreadnought _Sight of Mercury_ was surrounded by Heavy and Light Battlecruisers, Cruisers, Carriers and which in turn was supported by Destroyers, Frigates and Corvettes. In the back of the towering warship, was the bridge. It had fifty crewmen working on consoles.

Apart from three figures on the bridge, they all had red skin with twenty head tendrils on the back and top of their heads. They were slightly shorter than the three others. Their uniforms were white and elegant. The three others had dark robes and facial masks and hoods covering their heads.

Jovakhin looked out through the bridge window, looking down on the planet below them. To side front was Lord admiral Falanizzo and a female to his left. Falanizzo was the Lord admiral of the Syyphoro-San'gyly, making him the Supreme Commander of the navy.

"Your opinion, Jovakhin?" Falanizzo requested.

"Hmm," Jovakhin tilted his head. "Hard to say. There is still three-hundred-thousand soldiers groundside and the planetary bombardment keep thinning the Plagues ranks. We could still turn this."

"I disagree love," Azzadira interjected. "Lord admiral, you should forget the Enclave. They cannot command the military, not in this crisis situation."

She looked at Jovakhin. He looked slightly in her direction.

"She could be right. If we launch the core missile, we have to evacuate all forces first. But the backlash of destroying a world as rich as Rygaal 3, might, might be significant. I wouldn't care, but it would in that case, land on you."

Unlike Jovakhin's dark grey mask and Azzadira's silver one, his own was gold. He had black robes and a black hood over his head. He had his hands behind his back.

"Indeed. For now, we'll continue as planned. We'll spare the core missiles for campaigns into plague territory." He turned around. "Alert me immediately when something happens. "I must go through reports in my quarters."

"Of course, Lord admiral," Azzadira assured him.

Falanizzo had been Lord admiral for only two-hundred years. There had been two other Lord admirals before him, sense the wars start, eight-hundred years into the past. The first had been killed in battle, even infected by the Plague of darkness itself. The second was killed when his Dreadnought was destroyed in battle with three plague infested Dreadnoughts. Before he died, he crippled a fourth and fifth infected Dreadnought and almost one-hundred other infected warships.

He withdrew to his quarters. At his desk he read reports from generals and admirals across the galaxy. He heard a beep from the door. He walked over and keyed the panel, opening it. Outside stood a young red skinned woman with the head tendrils. She was dressed in a white uniform and looked up at him nervously.

"Kaasana," he said with a smile. "What can I do for you?"

"Eh, I wanted to speak to you uncle," she explained.

He gestured for her to step inside his quarters. She strolled over and sat down on his couch and he took a seat at the desk, but turned the chair around.

"What can I do for you?"

"I, eh…I can't stop worrying about Ahlborn," she admitted.

He smiled slightly under his mask.

"I am sure your brother is fine. Last I heard his Platoon repaired a short range transmitter before pulling back from the front lines."

She looked worriedly at him.

"But, you're the Lord admiral, can't you like, transfer him somewhere safer?"

"I could," he acknowledged. "But…I won't. He wouldn't want me to and he wouldn't forgive me for it. As hard as it is to admit, we all need to do our duty honey. Besides, millions of families feel the same way you do right now."

She looked down and slowly nodded.

He walked over and kneeled in front of her, taking her hands in his own.

"Don't worry. Do your duty, stay safe, and it'll be ok. He'll do the same. After all, he's valuable in the militaries eyes. People with psychic powers are carefully looked after your brothers no exception. He can handle himself."

She looked into her uncles eyes and swallowed hard, before nodding again.

He smiled behind his mask.

"Psychic powers are one of our best weapons against the plague. It's nothing we can waste, which means that your brothers is-and this sounds cold honey-is a valuable resource."

"You're right," she said simply. "It sounds really damn cold."

" _Lord admiral,"_ they were interrupted by Azzadira's voice. _"You are needed on the bridge,_ **immediately."**

Falanizzo rose and walked towards the door.

"We'll finish later, ok?" She nodded and stood up to follow him out. "It'll be ok."

Falanizzo quickly made his way to the bridge where Azzadira and Jovakhin waited for him. the bridge crew seemed nervous and very worried.

"What's going on?"

"Seven-thousand starships has entered the system, two hours away, an officer explained nervously.

Falanizzo stared out the front viewer.

"Identified?" He asked worriedly.

"It's the infected armada," Azzadira said with a heavy heart. "We're heavily outnumbered."

Jovakhin stepped forward.

"If we use the Quantum bomb, the one Doctor Wolfgang created-"

"That'll destroy the solar system," Azzadira argued. "Love, you can't be serious."

"The following super nova from the sun will destroy everything in the system, crush their fleet. We simply launch it and abandon the system."

Falanizzo considered it.

"It could-"

"He's not stating the fact that we can't evacuate the ground forces in time. In two hours? No way we can evacuate all of them. We have three-hundred-thousand troops planetside."

Falanizzo lowered his head. They both had a point. Could they-he, abandon those men? But destroying seven-thousand infected warships, could he pass that up? It would cripple the Plague to lose its armada. Sacrificing two million to save two-hundred million from, dying in battle later. He always knew it was a hard job when he took it.

"Start evacuating as many men as possible. Start with the most important. Paladins and those with psychic powers."

Azzadira slowly nodded.

"Yes, sir."

 **Yorktown surface, Dagger base, back entrance to the Vault**

 **7** **th** **day, present day**

Rodney and Stahl made their way out of the jumper and towards Gate's team. Fox grinned widely when she saw Stahl. The young woman jogged over and hugged her. Stahl smiled and hugged her back. Porter walked over casually and nodded to Rodney.

"Doc. Great to have ya."

"Eh, right well…should we get, eh, going?" Rodney answered somewhat awkwardly.

Meanwhile the jumper left as Baker had already cloaked and presently flew over Dagger base itself to offer assistance and if necessary disable targets. He always had to make sure to not waste drones on pointless targets. There was no way to refill them afterwards. He would stay close by if they needed evac.

"So good to see you on your feet, Maddie," Fox complimented her.

"Great to be back. Doc had to let me out, given what's happening," Stahl replied cheerfully as Fox released her from the hug.

She looked over to Gate. He and Jovakhin stood by one of the Spartans. Five meters away. Wolf was sitting in the grass, relaxing in the sun. you couldn't tell on her that there was a planetary invasion ongoing at this very moment. Like always, she seemed way to relaxed when she waited. The last three Spartans stood on their own, a few meters from the fourth and her team. Her eyes darted to the bunker built into the lower hillside, and going underground by the looks of it. She looked around but didn't see anyone else around. No personal or anything.

Porter noticed her looking.

"Not exactly rolling out the red carpet," he pointed out.

"Not really. But they are desperately fighting to hold the front entrance, so maybe we should give them some slack?" She suggested.

Porter shrugged playfully. "Nah, maybe…I suppose."

Fox put her arm around Stahl's shoulders and led her towards the others.

"All ready here, sir," she called. "Shall we get going?"

Gate turned fully to them and smiled broadly at Stahl. He half turned to the Spartans, specifically the one he was talking to.

"This is Lance Corporal Maddie Stahl. Our combat medic."

"You the one that got wounded?" Daniel asked straight up. He had a hit of a disrespectful tone in his voice.

"Lucky hit," Fox remarked defensively. "Got pretty much overrun and surrounded."

Daniel shrugged casually and turned to look at the bunker entrance.

"We're going, sir?"

Fox snorted.

Becky nodded simply.

"Yes," she said. "Lance Corporal. Pleasure. I'm Sphinx one or simply commander."

Stahl nodded back at her. The tone sounded a bit too cold for Stahl to immediately accept that she was sincere about it.

"Let's move people."

Phoenix and Daniel was the first to get moving. Wolf joined them after throwing a glance at Stahl and given an encouraging smile. She was basically saying, 'Yeah, I know', about the Spartans talkative side.

Gate and Porter came behind Wolf and Becky, with Jovakhin and Rodney short behind. Rodney looked less than pleased about the situation. He had preferred to be in orbit, those engineers were actually nice and appreciated his brilliance.

Pierre strolled over to Fox and Stahl and reached his hand out. he reached out his hand and she accepted with a pleasant smile.

"Don't mind them. We tend to focus on the objective during missions, so with whatever respect it has, your name isn't exactly important to them."

"You seemed nice enough," Stahl replied.

"Well, we don't want to get off to a bad start," he explained with a light shrug. "Whole damn planets at stake. Can't afford failing. Besides, you don't seem so bad."

"Why thank you," she smiled. "You guy look quite capable yourselves."

Pierre simply nodded.

"Not everyone would assault a Covenant Cruiser with a small team. Certainly not without major casualties."

"Well, we didn't actually know who we were fighting at the time. Come to think of it, it probably gave us some enemies back home some years ago. Between two-three times."

They walked inside the bunker. Rodney stood by a console, getting the elevator operational. Daniel and Phoenix stood by the elevator doors who were currently closed. Becky stood close to Rodney with Gate.

"Well?" Gate asked him.

"Relax," he said. "Not my fault UNSC lost power to the elevators. I, eh…there. Backup generators online."

"Why where they off?" Gate asked.

"Covies probably overrun the CC," Becky wagered. She looked across the chamber. "All personnel here was probably evacuated or joined up to fight at the main compound."

As the elevator arrived the two joint teams made their way inside, while Jovakhin and Porter remained to guard topside and their escape route if the base, _Vault_ , as the ONI called it in their transmission, had been compromised by Covenant and Wraith forces.

When the elevator stopped and the double doors opened, Daniel, Pierre and Stahl was first out, securing the corridor.

"Clear," she said.

"Confirmed," Daniel said after a moment.

Stahl ignored the fact he had to confirm what she said, getting the feeling he definitely didn't like her for some reason. Gate looked left and right down and up the corridor. It was incredible dark, almost too dark to see.

"Doc?" he looked to Rodney.

He grumbled.

"Don't look at me, I don't-" he started annoyed.

The light coincidentally turned on.

Gate was about to speak when he noticed the corridors infrastructure. Rodney started with wide confused and shocked eyes. Stahl and Wolf looked surprised, but didn't show as much of it as Rodney or Fox. Her wide eyes stared around her. Becky noticed their expressions.

"What is it?"

Gate and Rodney looked at each other.

"Doctor?" Gate began.

"Huh…no place like home, right?"

* * *

Alright, so that scene with Jovakhin and Azzadira might have created more questions then answers, but we'll get more into that later on. For exempel, what's that got to do with the current situation, we'll get to that shortly too.

Also we've managed to meet an ONI officer who isn't an asshole, unlike Dare who seemed to be a bit of a maniac with issues, and Wadsworth of course. Welcome aboard Kenmore!

Sorry it took so bloody lnog to get this out, but **finally!**


	13. Ch13 Inside the Vault

Universal Journey Chapter 13 Inside the vault

 **Yorktown surface, HQ**

 **7** **th** **day**

Bra'tac sat at a metal table with Woolsey across and Callahan to the side. The two marines sat by a table nearby. Callahan sipped from a steaming cup of coffee and leaned forward to the others. She blew a strain of hair away from her face. They would soon join the Joint chiefs and continue the discussions. But first, they went through their own tactics. They had been quite careful in what technology they gave the UNSC, the shields that had-so far-been installed on _Open Heavens_ were older Goa'uld shields, which-if betrayed-the _Aleppo_ and all Ha'taks could-more or less-carve through before making their escape. Bra'tac had no problem with Callahan taking the lead in this. He completely trusted her and agreed with her suggestion in how to deal with the UNSC from this point on. He disapproved of the tone they had towards them.

"Excuse me," Warfield said, coming up to them. Callahan gave him a curt smile. "If you're ready, the Joint chiefs would like to continue."

Callahan looked at Bra'tac, who subtly nodded, and then to Woolsey who nodded more firmly. She added a nod herself as she stood up.

"Let's get going, general."

They followed him over and joined the others at the table. To their displeasure, Wadsworth and Dare both joined them again. You'd think they were needed elsewhere with an invasion and all. The ONI were losing a base currently. Dagger base, if she remembered correctly. It was apparently extremely important to hold.

The Air force General Ian Hawke was the first to speak.

"We appreciate that you let us send your team to assist Fireteam Sphinx," he said curtly.

Callahan wasn't too fond of the wording. Implying they she granted them control of SG18 and that she merely sent them as backup for their Spartan team. If they kept going down this road that they were a resource instead of an ally, and practically a part of their military already. She would have to burst that bubble if they persisted.

"We are happy to aid you," she said, smiling slightly.

"Not to forget your soldiers, master Bra'tac," Hawke continued. "They're efforts are excellent and they're halting the Covenant in taking our last major airbase. Not to forget that you're forces have destroyed two additional Corvettes. Every small victory counts."

Bra'tac nodded.

"Didn't you say, Admiral McKenzie would join us?" Callahan remembered.

"He's busy repairing the fleet and preparing them for further engagements," Admiral Geraldino explained shortly. "He did report that we are slowly but surely equipping our ships with the shields provided by you."

Callahan nodded in response.

 _You_ , are? Last she heard, her people were doing most of the work. Another tactic to push _Aleppo_ under their thumb, getting her and Bra'tac used to the idea of taking orders, maybe?

"I would add," Warfield cut in. "Without your people the base in the jungle wouldn't have gone down as easily. Or as quickly. You saved many lives."

"Potentially, yes," Wadsworth interjected. "Sphinx fireteam was assaulting it anyway."

Warfield looked at him with disapproval.

"Either way, we should not discuss the possibly outcome of something that is over and done with. It can't be changed and the Aleppo team added experience and firepower well needed." He glared slightly at Wadsworth for a moment. "A major ODST and marine assault might have left several casualties. Now we had none."

The backup plan for the attack had been to send down ODSTs and marines for an assault with Sphinx fireteam to move in from the opposite direction. Not knowing how those Wraith and robots fought, could have cost potentially many lives.

General Burke leaned forward slightly.

"Let's get to the point. We require additional engineers to install all our ships with shields before the Super Dreadnought moves again."

"I'm sorry," Callahan replied politely. "Any additional engineers is needed aboard my own ship. I could reassign my engineer teams aboard your ships to let each engineer lead a team of your engineers. It would slow it down slightly, but increase how many ships we can work on."

Burke shook his head adamantly.

"That's not acceptable," he said in his deep voice. "We require more engineers."

"There are none."

Hathaway raised his left hand. He decided to play the diplomat. "Perhaps we could have a number of _Aleppo_ engineers train our own, with Callahan's permission."

"That's acceptable," Geraldino said with a finishing tone.

Burke nodded acceptingly.

"Very well," he said. "Next point is that we need any Jaffa troops that you can-"

"Hold on," Woolsey interrupted with a displeased expression.

Burke looked at him with his regular cold expression.

"Yes, Mr Woolsey?"

"We haven't agreed yet," he said vehemently.

"What's the problem?"

"There's no problem," Callahan said.

Burke opened his mouth to continue, but was interrupted immediately.

"The point is you passed us over. It's my crew you, need to understand that."

"No offence was meant," Hathaway tried assuring her.

She clearly didn't believe him one bit. Her facial features made that abundantly clear.

"Yorktown is on the verge of chaos. The people will get slaughtered if we lose," Geraldino explained with narrowed eyes on Callahan. "We need every resource used on max to prevail and save the planet and everyone on it."

"We are allies, not a resource," Bra'tac added firmly.

"We're in this together," Hawke said slowly with a furrowed eyebrow.

"Sergeant Greer," Callahan said firmly with a monotone expression.

"Sir," the Asian marine spoke up.

"We're leaving."

"Yes, sir." He reached for his earpiece and started speaking.

Hathaway stood up.

"Listen here, colonel-"

"This is childish," Burke said with frustration and annoyance.

Bra'tac and Woolsey rose from their seats as Callahan did and joined the Staff Sergeant and the other marine. With a beam of light they were beamed up to _Aleppo_.

"Think you went too far?" Hathaway spat at his colleges.

"She'll be back," Burke said. "She need to understand who's in charge."

"And who needs who," Geraldino said. "We just need them to think we have all cards on hand and-"

"Sirs," a young officer called.

They looked over at him.

"Word just came in. All Aleppo engineering teams is been transported off in beams of light."

Warfield rubbed is temple.

"That was a possibly and temporary risk," Wadsworth said calmly, as if he had expected it.

The officer was approached by another technician.

"Sirs," the first said. "The last airfield reports that Jaffa troops are disappearing in beams of light. Our pilots aboard the Ha'taks have been told to depart immediately."

Warfield looked at the Joint chiefs and both ONI officers.

"Well," he said standing up. "Looks like we know who's in charge, **and** holding all the cards." He held back a satisfied smirk. He wasn't happy it came to this, but, he was happy Callaghan put them in their place. "Looks like you have to do things on her terms now." He crossed his arms. "Or you know, you could be prideful and die by elite energy blades."

Burke and Hawke looked quite upset, while Geraldino looked agreeable and smiled slightly. Wadsworth and Dare looked fuming with anger and frustration. Although Wadsworth co3ered it slightly better. Dare had little control.

"Well played, Colonel Callahan," Geraldino mumbled approvingly, changing his tone. "Well played."

 **Yorktown surface, the Vault**

"Well," Fox mumbled. "Wasn't expecting this today."

She looked at Wolf who looked less surprised. She controlled it better. Gate and Stahl turned to Rodney, whom in return stared at Gate. Gate's expression asked for an explanation, but Rodney couldn't comply. He had no idea how to explain this. **Yet**.

"What is it?" Becky asked after a moment of silence.

"Rodney?" Gate finally managed to get something out.

"I-I don't know…" he stuttered in confusion. "Th-this is Ancient."

Phoenix and Daniel exchanged a look.

"Eh, yeah obviously," Daniel said with a frown under his helmet. "Like we told you in the jumper-craft, this place is ruins of an ancient civ-"

"Feels like being back on Atlantis," Wolf voiced, interrupting the lieutenant.

Having had enough of this, Becky raised her hand and stepped towards Gate.

"Explain. Now."

He looked at her for a moment.

How would he explain this simply?

"Right…this infrastructure. It's from our universe. An ancient race known as the Ancestors, Ancients or Alterans. They've got many names. This…"

"You're saying this vault is theirs?" Becky questioned. "Assuming that's true, how'd they get here?"

Gate shrugged.

"Maybe like us," Rodney suggested. "Makes sense actually. A wormhole swallow or an anomaly swallow them up, spit them out here. If it happened to us, why not in the past too? Maybe they created some technology like, an alternate reality drive."

"A what?" Daniel asked.

"Alternate reality drive, a drive that can pass through to alternate universes."

"Is that even possible?" Phoenix asked doubtfully.

"Yes," Rodney said proudly. "Another version of me actually built one. And, it functioned."

"Until it stranded everybody in another universe," Fox mumbled.

Stahl giggled, causing Rodney to frown deeply.

Gate raised his hand for them to stop.

"If there's a terminal in the facility, Rodney can read it and see what this place was, maybe even how they got here."

Becky shook her head.

"Clearing the Vault out is the only priority," she said firmly.

"We can do both," Gate suggested. "If we can figure out how they-"

"No." she glared at him under her helmet. "First we clean the Vault form any hostiles, than we **might** discuss this again." She looked to her team. "We'll split up in two teams. Daniel with me, plus two of yours. Phoenix and Pierre, you're with Major Gate."

"Yes, commander," Pierre affirmed.

Gate looked over his shoulder.

"Fox, Stahl."

Both women nodded and went towards Becky.

"Stay in contact," Becky told Gate. He nodded in reply as both teams split up.

* * *

This chapter was shorter than planned, but I decided to get it out today sense it's been ages sense last chapter. Sorry about that.


	14. Ch14 Counter offensive

Universal Journey Chapter 14 Counter offensive

 **Yorktown orbit, Aleppo mess hall**

 **7** **th** **day**

"We're not actually leaving, right?" Lieutenant Kyle inquired. She looked across the table to Callahan.

She shook her head.

"Off course not," she replied. "Just proving a point. Bra'tac and I talked to General Warfield twenty minutes ago. The ten Jaffa we beamed up for show's back, their pilots are staying aboard the Ha'taks and our engineers have returned. They understood our point. Right now, they're thinking we might just pack up and leave if they treat us like a tool in their arsenal and not an ally."

They both know they wouldn't just leave. Not with millions of lives at stake. But right now they didn't mind if their allies thought they might.

Kyle tilted her head.

"Why'd they do that in the first place? We agreed on being allies after all," the blonde stated.

Callahan ate a fork with her mash potatoes and sipped from her glass.

"They're just desperate. Just imagine if Earth was invaded by the Goa'uld. What wouldn't we do to save it? We'd probably do something similarly if we were on the opposite sides right now."

"Can't see you doing something like that, sir," Kyle said honestly.

Callahan smiled.

"Thanks." She throw an eye over the mess hall for a moment. "Anything new in Covenant chatter?"

"Slight increase in ship to ship communication. Especially between the Super Dreadnought and the Corvettes planetside. They probably dislike that the Ha'taks hunting them down and blasting them apart. Speaking of which, one Ha'tak, combined with UNSC aero forces took down another one before we got you here. Went down near an airbase. Local army boys moving in to secure any tech that survived impact."

"Coordinating a counter," Callahan surmised. "UNSC could definitely use any Covenant tech they can get their hands on. Gotta understand your enemies technology to counter any advantages they have."

Kyle nodded.

"Scans together with UNSC transmissions show that they're starting to travel in groups of two."

Callahan smirked.

"Tired of getting picked off." She shrugged. "Still, one Ha'tak is more than a match verses two Corvettes in a plasma exchange."

Kyle raised her mug of coffee and drank from the hot liquid. She gave a satisfied sigh.

"Are you returning to the Headquarters to discuss with the local brass soon?"

Callahan shook her head.

"No."

Kyle arched an eyebrow.

"Sir? May I ask why?"

"Bra'tac and Woolsey's returning within the hour. I have something else in store for us."

The lieutenant leaned forward with interest.

"What are we doing?"

The tanned Lt. colonel smiled slightly.

"I'm working on a plan to assault the enemy fleet."

"How? We're horribly outgunned against that monster."

Callahan conceded that point.

"That's why I'm not targeting it. I'm taking out the Wraith Hive ship and both Cruisers. Hopefully a few Covenant Corvettes too."

"How?"

 **Gavirum system,** _ **ASF Mississippi**_

The _ASF Mississippi_ arrived in the Gavirum system two hours ago together with the two Earth ships. Both just recently finished construction. The _USS Trafalgar_ and the _RSF Sevastopol_. The latter was a Russian ship. It was built by the US but given top the Russians in a deal concerning offworld travel and Russian involvement in the Stargate program.

The _Mississippi_ fell under the jurisdiction of Stargate Command, but it was a part of a new directive. A, very, new joint initiative between countries that know about the Stargate presently. It was comprised by personal from all involved nations and based offworld. Their base of operations was the Zeta site, which was established last year. The original operation was codenamed Advent, which led to the task force being named Advent Security Forces, or ASF. Zeta site was composed by approximately a personnel of three-hundred. This included F302 pilots, kitchen staff, cleaning staff, technicians and other necessary personnel. The _ASF Mississippi_ was the only ship manned by Advent personnel.

An older man in his late fifties sat in the command chair. He was wearing a new light combat armor. It was raven black with silver junctions. He tapped his black gloved hands against the chair.

"Well, major Park, say something positive," he ordered.

He rubbed his forehead, just below his dark grey receding hair. The young Major Park turned halfway to him as he sat beside him.

"Scans coming up negative, colonel Meyrick," Park replied. "Nothing positive to report. Sorry."

Elijah groaned with frustration. Still nothing. Every attempt had come up negative. There was still no sign of the USS Aleppo or the five Ha'taks. The Jaffa on the planet didn't have a lot of information. It seems the ships had been here, but then wasn't. they had simply disappeared from all sensors. There had been strange readings picked up at the same time, as they disappeared. Unfortunately it disappeared with them.

"What happened to your ship, Adriana?" Meyrick mumbled. "Six ships doesn't just disappear."

"Except when they do," Park said.

Meyrick glanced at him.

"Except when they do. Correct major."

They were currently working under the idea that the unknown anomaly could have transported them somewhere. It was also possible it disintegrated them, but the SGC-and Meyrick himself-preferred the first one. The question was where they could have ended up. after seven day, any damage must have been repaired and communications back online. Where had they ended up, given that they hadn't contacted the SGC yet. Could it be another galaxy entirely? Possible. Question was which galaxy, assuming that was true. Also, they could have crashed and was stranded somewhere, with no stargate nearby. That would explain the failure in communications.

"Get in touch with the _George Hammond_ , I wanna know when Colonel Carter gets here. Maybe her brilliance can give us a breakthrough."

"Copy that," Park affirmed.

 **Yorktown surface, Dagger base, the Vault**

 **7** **th** **day**

Gate was on point, with Phoenix to his left and Wolf and Rodney bringing up the right flank. Pierre was in the back and secured their rear. He aimed his BR55 down a dark corridor as they walked through a junction. He was concerned where everyone was. There was supposed to be scientists and ONI security teams down here. Yet no one responded to communications attempts and they hadn't heard or seen anyone. After an hour they hadn't seen anything. Apart from nothing and nobody.

"Where the hell is everybody?" Wolf muttered.

"Maybe they're fighting the Covenant," Rodney offered an idea.

"The scientists too?"

"Well…Look, I don't know, I don't know more than you."

Gate rounded a corner and unsurprisingly-it was empty. He noticed a door and waved the others to move towards it. Phoenix and Wolf assumed positions on opposite sides of the door, along the wall. Gate stood in front of it with Rodney and Pierre covering both dies of the corridor they stood in.

Gate nodded to Wolf. She touched the panel and the door opened.

Gate marched in with his P90 aimed and trigger ready. He scouted out the immediate area, as Wolf and Phoenix came behind him. Pierre gestured for Rodney to follow.

"Clear," Gate called. He lowered his rifle. "Looks like an Ancient lab."

Rodney looked at the consoles set up. One was clearly not ancient, but a regular console. It had certainly been set up by scientists. It was hooked into one of the ancient consoles. He walked over towards it. Phoenix looked suspiciously at him.

Rodney stopped when he reached the console.

"Wow, major!"

Gate spun around to him and jogged over.

"What-what?!"

"Blood, check it out," Rodney pointed at a puddle of blood. It had dripped off the consoles side to the floor. It wasn't enough. Whoever bleed had definitely survived it, without a problem. But, he or she would have needed stitches. He noted some instruments on the ground.

"Something happened here," Gate alerted. "There was a struggle of some kind." He reached for his earpiece. "Commander."

" _I copy, major,"_ Becky answered.

"We found blood in a lab. Someone was injured, for unknown reasons. Got some instruments on the ground. Looks like a fight," Gate explained.

" _Understood. We haven't found anything this far. It's too quiet for my taste."_

"I agree there," Gate smirked lightly. "I'll be in touch if I find anything else, Gate out."

 _ **Aleppo**_ **bridge**

Callahan sat in her command chair, with Marks and Kyle at her sides. Aleppo was currently cloaked and heading towards the hostile forces.

"Are they withdrawing?" Callahan asked.

"Yes, colonel," Mark said. "Admiral McKenzie is withdrawing his fighters from combat. Darts returning to the Hive ship."

That was a good start. The Joint chiefs hadn't been happy to withdraw and give any ground to the enemy, but agreed to give her plan a shot. The first step was to get all hostile fighters back in their hangars, ensuring they were destroyed with their mothership. Right now the entire plan hitched on that the Super Dreadnought couldn't detect cloaks ship. It was very advanced. Everything was hanging on stealth.

"Hive ships hangars have closed," Mark informed. "All fighters inside."

"Are the UNSC nukes ready?" Callahan asked.

"Yes, sir."

"And our Naquadah enhanced nukes?"

"All ready."

Callahan looked out the viewport. She saw the Hive ship approach. Two Corvettes was acting as the defensive screen. She would have loved to beam her nukes aboard the Super Dreadnought, but any transport attempt was scrambled by interference from the monster warship itself. But Rodney had-before leaving-managed to cut through the Wraith's attempts to prevent their beam-ins.

They saw five large transport ships leaving the Super Dreadnoughts hangars, heading towards the planet. If possible, they would have to deal with that.

"Do it," Callahan said firmly.

"Engaging Asgard transporters," Kyle confirmed.

Three seconds went by before the Hive ship, _Flowerbed of mercy_ , was utterly annihilated. Rubble from the explosion of the Naquadah enhanced nuke was scattered in all directions. Bridge crew members cheered and Callahan smiled slightly at their jubilance.

"It's nowhere near over yet," she reminded curtly. She looked at Marks. "Beam one UNSC nuke into the bridge of those two Corvettes and prepared another Naquadah enhanced nuke for beaming."

Mark obliged.

"Ready to beam, sir."

"Do it."

Within five seconds the first Corvettes was torn apart inside out. The shockwave rocked the other Corvette before it exploded. The shockwave struck against a Heavy wraith Cruisers shields. Both Cruisers managed to activate their shields in time.

 _Aleppo_ turned towards the Cruisers.

"They'll pinpoint us any moment now," Callahan said. "Drop cloak and activate shields."

Just before the dropped the cloak the two Cruisers, plus the Super Dreadnought opened fire. The shields activated just in time.

Callahan looked at one of the Cruisers and smiled.

"They think their shields are gonna protect them. How adorable." She turned her head to Marks as she bridge shook slightly.

"Minimal damage to shields," he informed her.

"Beam a Naquadah nuke aboard that Cruiser."

"Gladly, sir."

Aleppo's size made it easier to maneuver to avoid enemy fire. They were hit by three direct blasts from the Heavy Cruiser _Feast of glory_ before the nuke detonated. It ripped the Cruiser apart completely. The shockwave drastically damaged the other Heavy Cruiser, bringing the shields down. The ship had been too close when it detonated.

Kyle smirked.

"Finally some progress," she said.

"Make way for the last Cruiser," Callahan said. The ship shook when it was hit by fire from the Super Dreadnought. "And please avoid getting hit."

"Doing my best," Marks said apologetically. "We're in range and the nukes ready."

They beamed a UNSC nuke into the hangar. The following explosion ripped the ship to pieces. The pieces scattered with the shockwave. An already damaged Corvette was obliterated by the shockwave as a bonus.

The bridge crew was thrilled over the success. All wraith ships had been destroyed. This should show the Covenant and whomever was in charge of the forces they were allied with that they weren't going to sit on the defensive. No, they were going on the offensive.

"Get us away from the Super Dreadnought," Callahan ordered.

"Yes, sir," Marks affirmed.

"Straight towards those transports. How many troops onboard?"

Mark keyed his console.

"Four-hundred, sir. One-hundred each."

She turned to him.

"What about the fifth? Nothing?"

He shook his head.

"No. Might be vehicles, supplies or those droids," he suggested.

As Aleppo headed straight towards the transports, two Corvettes tried to intercept them. Malevolence started moving after them at sublight. It wasn't moving fast at all. At its size, it took time to maneuver correctly and pursue. They, instead, launched fighters. Both Darts and Covenant fighters to intercept instead.

"We're entering range," Marks informed.

"Carve them up, major."

The Asgard beams easily and very quickly carved through the large transport vessels like knives through butter. If Aleppo could continue raiding transports, they could cut off resupply and reinforcements to the planet and slow down the Covenant invasion. They had already carved through three transports and turned on the fourth and fifth. Both was easily destroyed.

"Alright, major. Cloak and lets return to the UNSC fleet," Callahan said. "Let's not try our luck."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Alright, Aleppo's making some progress against the enemy finally! But, look like the luck is turning, hopefully.


	15. Ch15 Forceful push

Universal Journey Chapter 15 Forceful push

 _ **Malevolence**_ **briefing room**

 **7** **th** **day**

Azzadira was slightly displeased as Toby gave her the report of how they lost all three wraith ships before she even managed to reach the bridge one hour ago. Rtas Demmuda and Ktel Selumee was both present. Demmuda was outraged over how they could have lost two Corvettes, transports with one-hundred Sangheili warriors plus three-hundred Unggoy and Kig-Yar, and not to mention War droids. All three wraith ships had been obliterated. They were very powerful, more so than their Corvettes that was outclasses with the new enemy in one-on-one duels.

"They possess a cloaking device!" Demmuda exclaimed.

"This is information we needed earlier!" Selumee said fumingly. "We need to know everything about our new enemy."

Azzadira frowned under her mask.

"Do not raise your voice to me," she hissed. "I know exactly the abilities of the parallel universe humans. **And** , I did report that."

Rtas narrowed his eyes on her. He looked at her. this far, she had never lied before. To his knowledge anyway. And, she was carrying through on her promises.

"To whom?" He growled.

She looked at him silently for a moment.

"The Prophet of Enlightenment."

Rtas slammed his clenched fist into the holographic table.

"Prophet!" He screamed furiously. "He kept the information to himself!"

"It is no wonder its taking so long to beat the humans," Toby commented. "You barely know how to cooperate with yourselves."

Rtas glared daggers of death at the wraith commander.

"Step lightly commander," he sneered warningly.

Azzadira raised her left hand.

"Enough. Whatever reason the Prophet had, we now have five warships less," she paused and looked at Ktel. "Fleet master Selumee, withdraw the Corvettes planetside and let them travel in groups of three. Three Corvettes should be enough against an Ha'tak." Ktel nodded firmly. "We have approximately two days until the Covenant reinforcements arrive. With… Prophet of Enlightenment." Rtas and Ktel both sneered at the mention of the Prophet. Many warriors had died because of this breech in communications. He hadn't just not sent the report in, but he had sent in in, but delete the mention of _Aleppo's_ stealth technology. And assuming they knew, Azzadira hadn't seen a reason to bring it up.

Azzadira looked at the two Sangheili officers.

"Gentlemen, the plan was to destroy the UNSC fleet when our reinforcements arrived. I disagree with that now. The _Malevolence_ will demolish their fleet. Now."

"Agreed," Rtas said with a nod.

He wanted a quick counter attack. The UNSC humans certainly, right now, believed that they could celebrating their victory and thought they had dealt a crippling blow to the Covenant and their new ally. Even with all wraith warships destroyed, there were tens of thousands of wraith aboard Malevolence. With simple cloning, they had a virtually endless supply of them, plus the War droids. The Aeyaen commandos wasn't endless, but there was a great many of them.

"I propose using our main weapon in the opening battle my lady," Toby suggested.

Azzadira shook her head.

"No."

"Such a powerful weapon would frighten the humans, not to mention devastate their navy," Ktel argued.

"The main weapon will consume a massive amount of power from the main generator and leave our shields at barely ten percent, at best. More likely we will lose our shields for an hour, at best," Azzadira said.

"This ship can defend itself without shields," Ktel added. "Its pure size defends it. And all batteries aboard that can decimate any ship in a straight up fight."

"The answer is no," she said, finishing the argument firmly. "The main weapon is an endgame weapon. Not, a midgame one."

"I have to agree," Rtas said. It was unusually for him to agree with her. "We mustn't reveal our hand yet. This Super Dreadnought can destroy any opposing fleet."

Azzadira nodded slowly.

"The Prophet wants the honor or accessing the ancient structure and finding whatever relic you think is here himself. Let's see if we can't rob him of that."

"Seems fair enough," Toby stated. "After his deception."

Demmuda smirked slightly.

 **Yorktown surface, Dagger base**

The wraith commander-Grek-aimed his stun rifle around the corner and fired two blasts. He missed the first but hit with the second. The army trooper collapsed to his knees and then fell forward. The humans was really putting up a fight. This reminded him slightly about the war with the Replicators a few years ago. At the end, he was stationed in a fortified facility on a planet when the Replicators attacked. He would have died, had the replicators not withdrawn. He later found out why they withdrew. The humans in Atlantis was scrapping their warships one by one so they withdrew to their homeworld to regroup.

Grek leaned around the corner and fired. A stun blast hit the wall, right beside the Jaffa standing at the end of the corridor. The Jaffa ducked back into cover. At the point, another came out and fired four blasts in succession.

"Do not let up!" Ky'anat shouted encouragingly.

Grek looked at the Jaffa carefully. He looked half dead. His armor was burnt and blasted to pieces. His chest was exposed and his left leg limped. His arms trembled as he held the staff weapon. At his waist hung an Sangheili energy sword. He must have taken it from a fallen Sangheili.

Grek fired a blast and hit him. Ky'anat groaned but managed to remain standing. He ducked behind cover. At Grek's feet lay two dead wraith warriors, one Unggoy and two Kig-Yar. In the middle of the corridor, between him and the defenders, lay seven Unggoy and four War droids, plus a Sangheili with his head blasted apart. Two Jaffa lay in the middle with them, and three humans at the other end.

Grek's two wraith warriors came out of cover and fired. They hit an ONI soldier simultaneously and he dropped on the spot. Ky'anat fired a bolt, hitting one of the warriors in the head. He fell backwards, dead before he hit the ground. The other returned to cover.

"Where is that Kig-Yar?" Grek asked himself, referring to Rtek. "What's taking him so long?"

An army trooper lobbed a grenade over towards them. It landed in the middle of the junction.

"Cover!" Grek was quick to shout.

The three remaining Unggoy ran in panic. The other wraith hurried in the other direction of Grek. When the grenade detonated, it eliminated all three Unggoy and threw both wraith to the floor. Grek ignored the pain in his back and rolled over to his back. It would heal almost immediately. His eyes searched hos his stun rifle. locating it, he saw it was torn in two. He reached for his Covenant plasma pistol and drew it. He got up and scurried to the corner again. Leaning around he fired it. He hit one of the enemies running towards him. he staggered but didn't go down. When Ky'anat fired his staff, Grek was forced back into cover.

He had counted six hostiles coming towards them. he gestured for the other wraith, who now got back up, to fall back. The two of them could not hold them all off alone. He fired two blasts before withdrawing. When Grek turned around, he saw two Aeyaen commandos approaching with three Kig-Yar. The Kig-Yar had energy shields and plasma pistols ready. Both Aeyaen's wielded a Serpent assault rifle.

From the other direction six Kig-Yar joined in. One of them being Rtek. He was grinning as he rushed into combat with a plasma rifle.

"Come on you bastards!" He shouted.

A man beside him took a staff blast to the chest and fell backwards with a thud.

A combined rain of stun and plasma shots forced the humans and their allies back to their original positions. Apart from one trooper that was killed. Ky'anat blasted a Kig-Yar's head to tiny little bloody pieces before he withdrew to cover. He did his best to ignore the limping leg. The Aeyaen's let it rain purple plasma over the defenders. They moved quickly from cover and back again after shooting a few shots. It was almost impossible to get a shot off close enough to hit them.

Rtek would lie if he said he wasn't impressed as hell by them. The Covenant wasn't big on letting women fight. He had seen Kig-Yar women fight, albeit not for the Covenant, but as pirates and mercenaries. These light furred blue skinned ladies kicked ass dammit! He stared in awe when one of them showed how agile they were.

She ran forward, towards the supposed _heretics_ lines and fired five shots. A Jaffa went down and one bolt smacked into Ky'anat's right arm. She ducked and threw herself to the ground. She fired two shots, while Rtek and the others offered a covering barrage. She quickly rolled to the wall and jumped back to her legs. Firing four shots before leaping behind the cover of a metal box in the middle of the corridor.

Rtek couldn't help but let out s short laugh.

"Now that's impressive," he said. He ducked down and moved over to the wall Grek stood at. He just ducked after firing his plasma pistol. Rtek offered him a second pistol. "Might as well use two of those things. Given you lost ya rifle."

Grek looked at the pistol and grabbed it. He nodded appreciatively. Rtek nodded back.

"Hey, buddy. Back where you're from. There more wraith there?"

Grek looked at him for a moment.

"Off course there is." He paused and grumbled. "Well, not under lady Azzadira's command, but there are wraith."

Rtek frowned.

"I thought she controlled a bunch of planets back there."

"How'd you hear that?" Grek asked suspiciously.

Rtek shrugged it off.

"Rumors tend to spread when you travel with a monstrous ship that size. People talk, ya know."

Grek slowly nodded. He leaned forward and fired two shots before ducking again.

"The Mephini make up her main force," he explain in short.

"The who?" Rtek simply inquired.

He seemed to forget they were in a battle at the moment.

Grek mumbled annoyed to himself.

"Avian race-"

"Oh I like 'em already!" Rtek chuckled.

Grek ignored him interruption.

"Avian race. Militaristic. Actually, I wouldn't mind some of their flying mechs right about now. Or their Airborne infantry." Grek stopped, realizing he got off topic. "Back to fighting, Rtek. If you survive, I will tell you whatever you want to know of the Mephini."

Rtek laughed.

"You're on buddy!"

One of the Kig-Yar lobbed a plasma grenade across the corridor.

"Grenade!" A human yelled.

The grenade exploded two seconds later. With a gesture from Grek, everyone started moving up.

Ky'anat and two troopers abandoned their positions and rounded another corner where metal boxes was stacked up as cover. Colonel Kenmore was quick to join them as he came from the other direction with three ONI security soldiers.

"Need some help?" The Asian man asked calmly.

"Could not hurt," Ky'anat grunted.

Kenmore throw a glance at him. He was really beat up. he was very impressed that he was keeping it together. Last he saw him, the xeno man was refusing medical care because of the reason they didn't have time for it. With Covenant pushing deeper and deeper into the compound, corridor by corridor, he and Kenmore both, knew they needed ever able man. Someone, the xeno man-Correction, Jaffa-was still holding out. whatever drove these Jaffa soldiers, it was good. They base would already have fallen without their brave and heroic assistance-not to mention their combat abilities and ability to withstand so much punishment.

Soon three jackals with shields came around the corner. They started firing plasma and needler pistols at them. Using the shields as cover, two of those blue skinned beauties came up with those red plasma rifles and two more Kig-Yar plus a wraith.

Kenmore had read the report on the wraith's provided to HQ by the Aleppo crew. But he hadn't seen anything on the blue aliens. He had surmised that Aleppo the Jaffa flagship hadn't encountered them before either.

They opened fire. Ky'anat's staff blasts staggered a jackal shield bearer.

"Lob a pair of grenades over!" Kenmore requested.

Two of the Oni security troopers and an army trooper freed a grenade from their waist and lobbed it at the enemy onslaught.

"Cover!" Kenmore commanded immediately.

They all ducked behind the boxes. The jackals was horrified when the frag grenades landed behind them.

"Run boys, now!" The lead jackal shouted as he started bolting back the way they came.

The group started hurrying to get around the corner they just came from. They got four seconds before the grenades went off. the detonation flung two jackals into opposite walls, it threw the other two jackals around the corner. The wraith was caught in the blast just as he reached a box for cover. One of the blue hotties was caught in the explosion while the other managed to sprint to cover, way ahead of everyone else. The only reason the over didn't make it, was because she shielded the others with her own body. Kenmore had to admit, that was brave and something he couldn't help but admired in them.

"Move up!" He ordered.

They jumped over the boxes and moved towards the damaged area to deal with potential survivors. Amazingly, the blue xeno was still alive, though just barely. Kenmore first thought to give her medical attention, but she reached for her red plasma rifle. He ended her misery with one round through her pretty head.

One of the ONI troopers peaked around the corner for a second. It was enough for a purple bolt of hot plasma to melt his faceplate and kill him on impact. The light furry hotness was covering the others while they got up. A few lonely grunts joined her. They had stayed back and was all around to slow to keep up with the advance. Lucky them. One of them fired a fuel rob. The blast threw both army troopers to the ground and injured an ONI trooper. Kenmore grabbed him and helped him out of the line of fire. Ky'anat check the troopers. They were both gone. One of them had lost an army and part of his right leg.

"Sons of fraggin' fuckers!" Rtek screamed as he sat up against the wall, well in cover from the humans. He looked to Grek. "My men, are they?"

Grek looked at him and nodded.

"Dead."

"Fuck!" Rtek cried out in frustration. "Kaaldrumee will fuckin' pay for this! Every goddamn man I lost today!"

He stomped hard in the floor, only to groan in pain and grip his leg. Grek looked over at the avian male.

"Are you badly injured Shipmaster?"

To his surprise, Rtek chuckled and looked at him.

"Nothing too bad, commander." He nodded behind Grek.

He turned around and saw a wraith commander with six warriors approaching. The commander stopped in front of Grek while the others joined the fight immediately.

"Commander. We just beamed down from Darts send from Malevolence," he explain. "Field Marshal Kaaldrumee sent me to find you sense the humans jam our communications here." He looked at the commander for a moment. "A have bad news."

"What happened?" Grek asked. "Speak."

"Commander, all three of our ships have been destroyed by the human ship from our universe."

"What?!" Grek exclaimed. "How is this possible?"

"They used their cloak to catch us off guard. Several transports with troops has also been destroyed in the human space offensive," the new commander filled him in. The humans was still cloaked when we left. Without them gone, we cannot risk sending large numbers of troop transports."

Clever humans, Rtek mused as he listened. With a cloaked ship they could assault any Covenant ship at any time. But Darts can hold a number of men, which means reinforcements wasn't cut off, just slowed down drastically. No equipment was coming down for a while. No new tanks or other vehicles.

"The milky way humans are smart," Grek said begrudgingly. "They proved that in Pegasus many times. These UNSC humans are clever too. A good combination…for them."

"Can I speak freely?" The other asked.

Grek nodded.

"Do so."

"Is this base worth all these resources?"

They both turned when Rtek laughed aloud.

"With the Sangheili, we're looking for some artefacts from their gods. Which could mean good tech, but most likely…not worth it. Not for the rest of us." He looked around. "I can't help but notice that I haven't seen a lot of Sangheili sense we spearheaded into the base three hours ago. Assholes waiting to take credit for cleaning up afterwards." He shook his head.

Rtek grinned, thinking about how great it was that this wasn't going the Sangheili's way. Especially Kaaldrumee. He hated that guy. He hated that so many had died, but that was Covenant life. Soldiers didn't live too long these days. Oh well. He shrugged to himself.

 **Yorktown surface, Dagger base, the Vault**

Stahl kneeled beside the body. It was the first evidence of life, or none-life perhaps, they had had sense they arrived by elevator from the bunker. It was a woman with black armor, plus helmet. A BR55 Battle rifle laid beside her. She was in her mid-thirties by Stahl's estimate. The initial cause of death, she would give as the giant whole in her chest. Something had cracked her bones and armor.

She gently moved some gore aside as she got a better look at the dead ONI Corporals insides. They were completely smashed beyond recognition.

"You gotta lean in that close?" Fox asked.

She put her hand over her mouth in disgust.

"Seen worse," Daniel said. "But, don't think I've seen someone do that before. Elites usually just smash your skull of if they get that close, or cut you with an energy sword."

Becky lowered her rifle slightly and looked back at them over her shoulder. She was acting as a lookout at the moment.

"No energy sword did that," she stated plainly. "Someone broke her armor. tore it open."

Fox looked at Stahl, who remained quiet for the moment.

"I don't know," she suddenly spoke up.

Daniel and Becky looked at her.

"Lance Corporal?" Becky asked.

Stahl continued looking at the dead body. She specifically focused on the edges of the cracked armor.

"Look at the edges of the armor, and the bones inside." She paused, then looked up. "They're cracked from the inside. Not outside."

"What…are you…saying?" Fox inquired, not sure she wanted to know.

Stahl looked to her, with a sympathetic look.

"Something broke out of her chest."

Fox swallowed.

"What like, a Xenomorph?" She asked in disgust. She felt her stomach turn. "Oh god I'm gonna be sick."

"You've seen that?" Stahl asked, changing subject slightly.

"Yeah," Fox said as she turned to look at something else. "Gate showed me once back in the SGC. Terrifying. Give me nightmares."

Daniel walked over to Stahl and looked at the dead corporal.

"What the fuck attacked her?" He pondered with concern. "And, where is it now?"

Fox got a chill going down her back and she spun around. She hadn't thought about that. This was just freaking fantastic. She looked down the dark corridor they came from.

"This place is pretty big," Becky said. "Whatever happened to her, the enemy could be anywhere."

"Couldn't this just still be the Covenant?" Fox asked wishfully.

"Not unless a grunt crawled out of her," Daniel remarked.

"Let's keep moving," Becky ordered. "Sphinx four, take point, Lance Corporal Stahl, you bring up the rear. Fox on the right flank."

"Copy," Daniel confirmed and moved up.

He cocked his MA5 and rested his finger on the trigger.

Stahl gave Fox a friendly pat on the back. She offered a comforting smile.

"Don't worry, Wolf will be fine. She's with the major. Safest place on Yorktown."

Fox smirked. She felt a tiny bit better after that.

"Yeah. Let's get moving before the Spartan lady start bitching."

The team continued moving through the dark corridors. Only emergency lightning was online. It made the place feel even creepier. Becky updated Gate about their discovery. He knew about the body, but not Stahl's estimate of something breaking out. fox could hear on his voice that he was creeped out by the sounds of it all. He didn't like it one bit.

 _ **Malevolence**_ **bridge**

Demmuda missed his own ship. He couldn't deny the advantage of _Malevolence_ being their flagship, but he preferred his own Assault Carrier, the _Sword of Serpents_ , sense he got to be in command of his own ship. It was strange and unusual for him to stand on a bridge so exposed. _Malevolent_ bridge was in a tower in the middle of the full length from aft to stern. It was completely exposed, unlike the bridge of a Covenant naval starship.

Wraith troops moved about the bridge, keying different consoles. Toby stood a few meters from him, giving orders left and right calmly.

Demmuda noted that Azzadira entered with two Jiralhanae. The Jiralhanae had been acting rather unusual for the entire trip. Unknown to him, a number of them had been fed upon and when _revived_ by reversed feeding. Those exposed had either died-although only a few-or submitted to Azzadira's unquestionably.

Demmuda didn't give the savage Jiralhanae any further thought, which he probably should have.

"Fleetmaster," Demmuda greeted when Selumee arrived on the bridge.

Selumee nodded to him and walked over. He stopped beside him and turned towards the main viewer.

"Fleetmaster," he answered. "We're on the way I see."

"Yes. Six of our Corvettes have joined us. Unfortunately I fear they will find little glory with Malevolence leading," Demmuda said. He quickly waved his statement away. "It doesn't not matter. This world will soon fall to our might."

"Just faster with the heretic fleet gone," Selumee added in agreement.

Demmuda nodded.

"Yes. With this world… **Yorktown** …gone, only one fortified human world remains in this sector. The humans call it New, Australia." He snorted.

"Pathetic names for planets. But what could you expect from heretics."

"The UNSC have entered battle formation," Toby informed.

"Have you identified Aleppo?" Azzadira asked.

"Not yet. But three Ha'taks are present. They're on the left flank, sector G32. The last Ha'tak is on the planet, fighting three Corvettes."

Demmuda laughed.

"It cannot withstand our firepower."

Toby looked over his shoulder, right at him.

"Don't be so sure," he stated dryly. Demmuda and Selumee glared at him. "They have UNSC support. A frigate and several squadrons of bombers and fighters."

Azzadira raised her hand before Demmuda could speak.

"Let us focus on dealing with the engagement ahead," she suggested. Although, it sounded more like a command to Demmuda.

"My lady," Toby said. "Sensors indicate two Light Carriers have shields. The computers identify them as Goa'uld."

"I thought they didn't have shields!" Demmuda snorted with frustration.

Azzadira turned to him.

"Not two hours ago, no. things change. Aleppo are without a doubt upgrading the UNSC with their own technology."

She turned back to the window and rolled her eyes.

"Within range in ten one minute," a wraith alerted.

"Lady Azzadira!" The sensors operator suddenly exclaimed. " _Aleppo_ decloaked fifty kilometers below us!"

"Destroy them!" Demmuda shouted.

"By all means," Azzadira said calmly.

The six Corvettes following the Super Dreadnought was below the giant to provide support while not getting blown to hell by UNSC MAC cannons and other kinetic weapons. _Aleppo_ quickly activated their shields when they decloaked. They fired their four Asgard beam weapons simultaneously. They targeted the middle of a Corvette. The same second as the beams hit and carved through, _Aleppo_ switched from shields to the cloak again.

Malevolence fired batteries in front of them, but they missed, meaning the Tau'ri ship changed heading. The poor Corvette was ripped it two pieces.

Azzadira looked impressed.

"They're using their technology to their advantage," she noted. "An impressive opponent, indeed."

Demmuda growled angrily.

"That ship is getting on my nerves."

"Thirty seconds till firing range," Toby alerted. "Enemy fighters are approaching. Permission to launch ours lady Azzadira."

Azzadira thought about it.

"Very well, but have them protect the Corvettes and deal with the enemy fighters. They are defensive, **only**."

Toby nodded. "Affirmative."

Usually Demmuda would think a defensive maneuver cowardice-and he did off course-but it made some tactical sense to have the fighters deal with the hostile fighters. _Malevolent_ didn't need much fighter support, that's for sure.

As their pilots manned their fighters, the hangar doors opened to let them swarm out and overpower the UNSC and Jaffa fighters. The shields lowered-temporarily-around the hangars in question so the fighter wouldn't collide with the shields.

"We are in range."

"Engage," Azzadira ordered.

The massive mother of all warships opened up a massive barrage with its batteries. It targeted smaller and lighter UNSC starships primarily with the first barrage. The returning barrage did them no damage at all.

"Sir, hostile fighters turning back," a wraith said, looking up. he had a confused look on his face. "They are running."

"Haha, cowardly humans!" Selumee laughed.

Azzadira realized something. The small hangars was of no consequence, but not-

"Close the main hangar doors!" She screamed. "Quickly!"

Too late. As the shields around one of the three main hangars was lowered and the hangar doors opened, _Aleppo_ decloaked right there. _Aleppo_ fired the beam weapons right into the hangar itself. They veered off and decloaked again, taking some fire from a few fighters while switching to the cloak again. The explosions ripped through the large hangar, destroying everything inside, killing everyone there. Secondary explosions tore through a small part of the eighty kilometer monster. Four small nearby hangars was obliterated by the internal explosions.

"Damage report!" Azzadira demanded. Her temper flaring in rage.

"One main hangar and four small hangars destroyed. One supply store destroyed, plus hundreds of fighters and an unknown number of men killed. Teams are being dispatched to stop the fires and contain the damage," Toby was quick to report.


	16. Ch16 Vengeance

Universal Journey Chapter 16 Vengeance

 _ **Open Heavens**_ **bridge**

McKenzie smiled slightly as he lowered his right hand. He had just silenced his bridge crews cheers. He told them to wait until the battle was over before cheering. The explosions from one of the Super Dreadnoughts hangars had greatly lifted his men's mood. But it wasn't near enough to halt that monster. It was still coming, still blasting away at them. One of this two remaining Corvettes was blasted into dust. The other was pulling back to a safer position by a Heavy Cruiser.

He was extremely happy that _Open Heavens_ was one of the two Light Carriers with finished shields. Most of _Aleppo's_ engineers had beamed back to their ship earlier.

"Admiral," Ricardo said. "The other Covenant fighters are spreading out to defend the five Corvettes. Dreadnoughts shields are actually down by fifteen percent."

"Hmm. Not nearly enough. A drop in the sea. Even without shields, its mass will be enough to protect it," McKenzie said.

Three MAC slugs in high velocity striked the dreadnoughts shields. They did damage, but only a tiny amount.

McKenzie was happy to say that Callahan's tactics had-at least-paid off this far. The wraith ships was gone, all main transports to the surface had practically seized and the monster ship was damaged. It wasn't enough in the short run, but in the long run it was a strong blow in their favor. Cloaked ships was exactly what they needed. Quick raids with a quick escape before the enemy could react.

The fleet was giving everything they had. They fired everything they had at the Super Dreadnought.

McKenzie wanted to use his fighters but if they got to close to the Dreadnought, the batteries could easily pick them off, combined with the Corvettes firepower. He wasn't sure how they could beat the Dreadnought at all. Small victories stacked up, but could they really measure up against that? Their hope now was Admiral Paul Dorneget. He was two days away with a fleet. The 2nd Heavy Assault Fleet might just bring enough power to blast that Dreadnought monstrosity out of action. He had no illusions of destroying it, but disabling it. Then they could board it and forcefully take it, or, they could just have _Aleppo_ teleport twenty nukes aboard. That should deal with it. Right now, the teleporter jamming systems was the only thing stopping them from blowing that monster to that Great Journey of theirs and wherever wraith go when they die.

 _Open Heavens_ shook.

"Took a straight hit, sir," Ricardo told him. He steadied himself against a console. "Shields at ninety-two percent."

McKenzie looked out at the monster approaching. It wasn't slowing down at all. It was going straight towards the center of their lines.

"Tell the other two Carriers to withdraw. I want Heavy and Light Cruisers to cover us. I want all other ships to slowly start maneuvering towards the moon."

"Yes, sir."

"We must hold formation. We can't let them divide us and pick us off one by one."

 _ **Malevolence**_ **bridge**

Azzadira glared at the holographic map over the battle. Her regular calm attitude was gone. She was furious. Her flagship had been pierced and damaged. She couldn't allow this to go unpunished. They had to pay.

"A UNSC frigate has been blasted apart," a wraith informed. "They are pulling back."

"Trying to prevent us from smacking through their lines," Demmuda spat. "Fools think they have a choice in the matter."

"Are the fires under control?" Azzadira asked in a deadpan tone, ignoring everything else.

"Not yet, response teams are still working on that," Toby informed her.

"Get it done." She looked over at the wraith. "Prepare to fire the main weapon."

Toby and both Sangheili Fleetmasters was surprised she had been against it before.

"Destroy the humans!" She snapped.

Toby nodded confirmatively.

"Target the center of the UNSC fleet," he told a console operator. "Ready, my lady."

Demmuda and Selumee looked at Azzadira in anticipation. Was she actually going to fire the main weapon.

"Fire."

A massive purple plasma beam left the Super Dreadnoughts and with an incredible velocity headed towards the UNSC position. Blue electricity surrounded it. The beam made a dead stop in the middle of the opposing fleet. For a second everything seemed calm. It was followed by a purple explosion mixed with blue electricity. It expanded quickly and obliterated everything in its path while it expanded in an outgoing sphere shape. Every ship touch was turned into dust. Nothing was left. No one could do anything but watch as it unfolded. When the explosion finally died out, a shockwave continued and damaged any remaining ships it seemed.

It left Selumee and Demmuda, plus the Jiralhanae on the bridge in shock. They started out the front viewport and at the holographic map.

Two of the UNSCs Light Carriers was wiped from existence. Leaving only one remaining. Seven Cruisers-both ling and heavy-was gone, both Destroyers and six out of the nine Frigates included. The Corvette survived but one of the Ha'taks had been turned into dust. The remaining three had been damaged, two of them very badly. The majority of all fighters had been cracked like glass against a baseball back, if they survived the plasma explosion. Dozens of Seraphs and Darts had been obliterated by the shockwave too.

Only a tiny number of UNSC ships remained.

"Report," Azzadira said with a smirk under her mask.

"The UNSC is shattered," Toby reported to her. He had a satisfied smile on his pale lips. "Our shields are down to twelve percent and all systems are functioning perfectly. With your approval, I will transfer power from other systems to shields."

Azzadira nodded.

"How long until we're fully operational again, Toby?"

"One hour and thirty minutes."

Azzadira had finally calmed down, having taken vengeance for the damage to her beautiful flagship. Her pretty little baby _Malevolence_.

"Peruse the UNSC," she ordered.

An Unggoy gave Toby a pad. He read through it quickly.

"Approximately three-hundred and sixty-nine dead and a few dozen destroyed War droids," he read aloud. "Numbers still coming in." He looked at Demmuda. "One-hundred and eighty-one Sangheili this far." Demmuda clenched his fist and looked at the commander. he gave a nod, and the Sangheili Fleetmaster nodded back in a common understanding. "The rest was wraith, Unggoy and…" he glanced at Azzadira, whom noticed his hesitation. "…sixteen Aeyaen's."

He knew how she felt for them. She had created the race. She started in her own laboratory, using her skills in genetics to perfection. The all-female race worshipped Azzadira. They frequently referred to her as mother. Azzadira seemed-to him-to enjoy the term. She probably saw herself as their mother. At least in Toby's mind.

Now, she didn't say anything.

"Expected," she finally breathed. "When I created them, I could many of them would one day die in battle." She was quiet for a while. "What about Aleppo?" She added.

"No sightings sense the hangar attack," Toby reported. "I would expect they're ready to take advantage of any mistake on our part."

"There, there!" An Unggoy looking at a screen exclaimed.

A wraith commander walked over to take a look.

" _Aleppo_." He turned around. "Batteries already targeting. Firing." A moment went by. "Sorry my lady, they got their shields up too quickly."

 _Aleppo_ avoided many of the barrages shots but was hit by almost as many. At a first glance, it seemed like a desperate attempt. But suddenly, the front viewport was engulfed in an explosion. The shields protected the bridge from actually being damaged.

"A human nuke," Selumee realized.

"Shields holding at ten percent," a wraith informed.

 _Aleppo_ maneuvered wonderfully in an attempt to avoid enemy barrages. The monster was eating away at their shields by pure strength of numbers alone.

"Their shields are down to sixty percent and falling."

Another nuclear device detonated outside the shields, bringing it down a few more percent. It was a game against time. Could Aleppo bring enough firepower to get the shields down and beam a nuclear device inside the ship itself, before their own shields collapsed under the heavy barrage.

 **Yorktown surface, Dagger base, the Vault**

Phoenix moved inside the laboratory when the door retracted. She scouted around in the badly lit up room. Gate and Rodney came in behind her. Both men had their P90s at the ready and trigger fingers ready to squeeze and spew bullets over any hostile target. They were all on edge sense the discovery by Sphinx one's team.

"Clear," Phoenix declared. "Room secure."

"McKay, get on one of those computer consoles," Gate ordered.

"Already on it," Rodney said as he started keying commands into the ancient keyboard.

Phoenix knew Becky ordered them not to touch the computers, but with some kind of alien freak running around after hatching out of some poor woman's chest, the definitely needed all information possible. She was concerned that the ONI scientists had found the thing down here, and let it out.

Wolf and Pierre stood by the door and kept watch out into the corridor. While Rodney keyed the console, Gate walked over to a closed door and pressed the panel. It didn't open. He tried again, without success.

"Doc, wanna try opening this door?"

Rodney sighed annoyed and turned to him.

"Do I have to do everything at the same time?"

Gate looked back over his shoulder.

"I'd be nice," he teased.

Wolf smirked slightly.

"Try shooting it," Pierre offered.

"Always worked for Ronon," Rodney muttered. "Never when I did it."

Gate titled his head, considering shooting it. Almost feeling his brain thinking, Rodney switched console and started working on the door.

"Relax, I'm opening it, Gate. Don't shoot anything."

"What's the fun in that?" Wolf joked.

She looked out into the corridor. It was still as empty as ever.

Rodney just shook his head.

"You know, guys with guns are the same, no matter what reality you're in. shoot it, might get it working. Don't know what something is, shoot it."

The door opened and Gate bowed politely to Rodney before heading inside. Phoenix followed him. Inside was nothing but a long room with a steel table with rails in the middle. It was ten meters long. On it laid a long missile. Gate whistled when he spotted it.

"Big ass missile," he said.

"Ancient tech?" Phoenix asked casually.

Gate shook his head.

"Not even close. Rodney!" He called out. "You found anything about a big ass missile?"

"What?"

"Ten meter long missile, anything?"

Pierre and Wolf looked curiously at each other.

"Earth to Rodney McKay," Gate called.

"J-just wait," Rodney responded. "Checking the ONI computer connected into the system…wait, wait…there. Core missile." He rubbed his chin. "Not much information about it, but…" he stopped and his eyes widened. "Syyphoro-San'gyly," he said just over his breath.

Pierre just frowned.

"That supposed to mean something doctor?" he noted Wolf looked peaked.

"Isn't that Jovakhin's race?" Gate asked, knowing the answer. "Fraggin' hell were they doing here?"

"Too," Wolf added. "Ancients, Syyphoro-San'gyly…who's next? Asgard?"

"Alright," Phoenix said when she and Gate rejoined the rest. "Clarify this, now."

Gate nodded.

"Syyphoro-San'gyly's an ancient race from another galaxy, originally. Jovakhin's one of them. his people got slaughtered say…five-thousand years ago, only a few survived. Jovakhin included."

"No way he's that old," Pierre stated astonished. He looked at Wolf. "For real?"

She nodded.

"For real."

Gate reached for his earpiece.

"Jovakhin, you read? Gate here."

" _I copy, Benjamin,"_ the masked man responded.

"Jovakhin, we found a missile here. Looks like your people's tech," Gate explained.

Jovakhin was silent for a moment.

" _Are you sure?"_

"Rodney confirmed it."

" _I see. What kind of missile?"_ He trusted Rodney's skills utterly.

"Computer called it a, Core missile. Recognize the name?"

" _Benjamin,"_ Jovakhin said with a heavy voice. _"That's an endgame weapon. A planet killer."_

Gate and his team's eyes widened.

"D-di-did he say p-planet killer?!" Rodney exclaimed horrified.

"Oh god," Wolf breathed. She leaned against the wall and sunk to the floor. "Oh god."

Pierre walked towards Rodney and Gate.

"Does ONI know what they have here?" He wasn't sure if he trusted the ONI with a missile of this magnitude.

"Computer didn't mention anything about that," Rodney said quietly, still shocked and horrified. "Doesn't look like they're having much success deciphering the ancients language."

Pierre continued looking at him.

"You good, doc?" He asked honestly.

A blood curling shriek echoed through the corridor and scratching. Like claws scratching against metal. Wolf jumped up on her feet and aimed in every direction with frightened eyes.

"Fuck was that?" She demanded.

Phoenix ran over to the door and took up a stance beside Wolf. They aimed in one direction each down the corridor, covering both angles.

" _Major Gate, report!"_ Becky called over the comm. _"I assume you heard that."_

"Oh yeah," Gate replied. He stepped towards the door. While he filled her in one what they had found, the others moved into the corridor in a square formation, keeping every angle checked. Rodney laid back with Gate while Wolf and both Spartans moved out. Rodney and Gate was a short distance behind them.

Wolf's heart was beating as fast as it possibly could. If it would beat faster, it might just jump out of its place. Right now, she wanted to be with Fox. To know she would be alright. Her sister could handle herself, but that didn't stop her from wanted to be with her. standing back to back against whatever was threatening them. like the good old day before SGC and this crappy war they got mixed up in.

"I swear," Pierre started. "If this turns into a Flood attack, I fucking quit."

It wasn't too much of a stretch given the body found and off course, the lack, of bodies. But that created several questions. Why was these old aliens keeping Flood in their compound. It didn't make sense. And, why hadn't the ONI destroy anything remaining when they found this place and moved in. knowing the ONI, Pierre figured they tried to control it. Assuming it actually was the Flood. How the heck did these _Ancients_ even get a specimen of the Flood?

"It was wiped out," Phoenix reminded him.

"More than once, right. Didn't the Forerunners try that too?"

"Fair enough," Phoenix conceded.

 _ **Aleppo**_ **bridge**

Mark flickered his eyes. It was more straining then normal to get his eyes open. A beeping sound was everything he heard. The beeping was rather loud and intensified. He finally got his eyes open. He looked straight up at the bridges ceiling. What happened? Why was he on the floor? Slowly it started coming back to him. They had been beaming nukes out to bring the Dreadnoughts shields down. They dropped them to four percent finally. He tried desperately to avoid the barrage of plasma fire from the massive beast. With three Naquadah enhanced nuclear weapons left, Callahan ordered him to prepare one more, plus two UNSC nukes for beaming. They had been supplied with a fair number of them before. They had ten left currently.

What happened after that? Oh, yes. They were hit head on. He couldn't maneuver to avoid it. They were hit and the shields failed. engines went offline too, not to mention the cloak. What was that pain? It was starting to hurt. But why? He still laid on his back, looking up at the ceiling. Why did it hurt? Why was it staggering so?

Marks looked up and raised his hands. He first saw his console. It looked blown to hell. His hands. His hands. They were almost black. He was badly burnt on his hands the sleeves on his green jumpsuit was also burnt, leaving more burns on his arms. So that's was it was starting to hurt like fucking hell. He peaked his ears when he heard whispering. No, no that was yelling. It was becoming louder and louder. The beeping was starting to go away.

"Put that fire out!" Lieutenant Kyle shouted. "Where's that damned medic?!"

The pain was getting worse. It couldn't keep it as controlled anymore. He groaned and titled his head back. Kyle looked at him when she heard him groaning.

"Kevin!" She used his first name. "Don't worry, Kevin, a medic is on the way," she promised him with a soft tone. She quickly returned to her hard voice. "Airman, I want shields back! That's our first priority."

Marks looked around. Colonel Callahan was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she had been badly injured and taken to sickbay, but…why was he still here then?

"Th-the c-colonel?" He managed to speak finally.

"She's fighting off the boarding party," Kyle was quick to explain. She kept working on her console as she stood up beside it. Occasionally throwing a glance at him. "The bastards ringed it. Ringed! How's we supposed to know they have rings. Could have ringed a nuke over!"

She knew that probably wouldn't have worked. They themselves had countermeasures in place to prevent anyone from ringing aboard. With the shields raised, it wasn't possible to ring in from an unauthorized location. The Super Dreadnought probably had similar countermeasures in place. It just made sense.

Callahan approached a corner with her P90 raised and ready. She leaned against the wall for a moment. Behind her came a man and a woman. Both dressed in black uniforms and armored up with safety gear. They both had a black cap. One wielded a P90 but the other had a BR55. It had been one of the weapons stocked up recently. It was delivered along with supplies, such as grenades and munitions from the UNSC. Their own weapons and munitions wouldn't' last forever.

Callahan nodded to the woman. Corporal Ivana Clinton. The trios last member, was Private Erick Hayworth. Both women rounded the corner together. They unloaded their clips into the Brute marching through the corridor. He staggered and collapsed. Both Jackals behind him raised their own rifles to fire, but Clinton was faster and put two rounds from her BR55 in their heads.

With a gesture from Callahan, the trio moved up the corridor. They stepped over the three bodies and continued passed them. At the corridors end laid a man in a green jumpsuit. He had a zat beside him, lying just outside his grasp. His jumpsuit was burnt from two hit from a plasma rifle. Callahan closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head. The bastards was gonna pay for every single dead member of her crew. Every damned one of them. The Covenant would pay. For all of this.

They kept moving. It wasn't so many enemies aboard, yet. Not yet. It takes a long time to ring in a large number of soldiers. That gave the defender time to react. It was just what they needed. Time.

" _Colonel Callahan,"_ a male voice said over the radio. _"Sergeant Windrow."_

"I copy," she said.

" _Sir, my team have locked down the corridor and closed the other two. We're holding the only way to engineering."_

"Good, casualties?" she was afraid to ask.

" _One injured. But she's still in the fight. We're not giving the Covenant and wraith no ground, sir. Don't worry."_ He sounded very confident. It was spreading slightly to Callahan.

"Keep it that way. Callahan out."

All they had to do was seal the area off. Teams of marines aboard was quickly sealing off corridors and passageways. Ladders and elevators was closed and brought offline. They would try to isolate the boarding parties within one area before squeezing them into dust. That was Callahan's plan. At the moment anyway. Like they say, no plan survive first encounter with the enemy. At the moment she could not for her life remember who sat that.

When they turned a corner. A bolt from a Type-51 directed energy rifle smacked into Hayworth's head. He made a spin and fell to the ground with blood splattering on the bulkhead behind him. Clinton and Callahan took cover. The latter looked over at Hayworth. He was clearly very dead. His heads had been crippled. Skin completely burnt off. Clinton left cover and sent off six rounds to the wraith wielding the plasma repeater in question. Four rounds hit, but the wraith remained standing and returned to cover.

Callahan fired a few shots, but missed him. The wraith stayed mostly in cover. His head popped out to fire a lonely shot, but he mostly remained behind the wall. He was probably trying to slow them down as much as killing them. Callahan ducked to avoid getting a plasma bolt in the head. It hit the wall she hid behind, right on the edge.

"Corporal, you grabbed a grenade by any change?" She called.

Clinton nodded. "Yes, sir!" she pulled it out and removed the pin. Then she lobbed across the hallway. A wraith scream echoed when the grenade exploded. Clinton was first out and advanced quickly. Callahan was a meter behind her, on her right side. Clinton soon stood over the warrior. He looked dead enough, but she put a round through his head just in case.

" _Colonel,"_ a female voice said over the comm. _"Team two is in position."_

"Understood. Status?"

"One dead and my left arm busted, but we're alright. Four brutes and a wraith commander dead."

"Good work Master Sergeant." Callahan contacted all her teams. "Colonel Callahan to all teams. Start advancing on the ring room."

A mass of, "Yes, sir," and, "Copy that," came in reply.

With some luck, they could easily and quickly push the Covenant off _Aleppo_ in a few minutes more. If her engineers got the shields working, they could temporarily stop any further incursion. But without engines the shields could easily be blasted away at until they collapsed again. at least, right now the enemy was bottled up, kept away from either hangar bay. Which meant they could not open up the hangar doors for personnel transports to embark more troops. If necessary, she would destroy _Aleppo_ before it fell into enemy hands.

In the ring room, an Aeyaen female walked back and forth. She had a Serpent assault rifle on her back. With her dark blue hair hanging down her back, almost to her rump, she had tied it into a long ponytail. She had a black combat armor chestplate and combat armored pants. She looked impatient and over and over again looked over at a Sangheili at a terminal.

"Well?" She asked.

"Don't stress me girl," the Sangheili said in a raspy deadpan voice.

She glared at him and stopped. But she decided against picking a fight. They had a mission to complete. Soon, in a moment or two, the next batch of soldiers would ring aboard.

Apart from her and the Sangheili, three Jiralhanae was in the ring room. The Jiralhanae was all armed with Carbines. They were three of the Jiralhanae brainwashed by reversed feeding on mothers orders. All Jiralhanae on Aleppo was brainwashed actually. Mother had assigned them quickly to claim Aleppo when the shields went down. One part of why she sent them here, was because they were raising suspicion with several Covenant officers, including Selumee and Demmuda.

All soldiers ringed onboard was Sangheili, Jiralhanae, wraith and Kig-Yar. War droids had been kept off sense they were only robots and they weren't tactical experts exactly. They were designed to spread fear and overwhelm their enemies. The Unggoy had been kept off for obvious reasons to the Aeyaen mission commander. their cowardice and incompetence would only serve to make the mission tougher. They needed good and experienced soldiers for this. There were only one Aeyaen involved at this point. That was her.

She had ordered her men to establish a perimeter around the ring room moments ago. Sense they seemed unable to breach the defending encirclement, they had to hold them and await reinforcements.

She noticed the ring activating and smiled.

"Finally," she said. "Reinforcements."

By the time she realized she was wrong, it was too late. Rya'c shot her in the face at point blank range. The six Jaffa fired their staffs at the four hostiles in the room immediately. All four went down without firing a shot. They had been taken completely by surprise. A few moments later the ring activated again and eight Jaffa appeared.

"Secure the ring room," Rya'c ordered. "Be ready for the enemy to use the rings at any moment."

The thirteen Jaffa warriors complied quickly and secure the room.

Rya'c walked over to the terminal and used it to contact someone.

"This is Rya'c, does anyone read me?"

"Rya'c?" Callahan's voice exclaimed surprise. "That you?"

"As I said. We ringed aboard as quickly as we could once we realized you were being ordered," he explained. "The ring room is under our control and if any hostiles approach, we are ready."

* * *

I'm not completely happy with the scene with Gate's team. Coversation feels a bit dry to me, I've re-done it already and it is way better than the original scene. Hopefully you'll enjoy the chapter anyway.


	17. Ch17 Commander down

Universal Journey Chapter 17 Commander down

 **Yorktown surface, Dagger base, the Vault**

 **7** **th** **day**

"It's coming from that direction," Phoenix informed.

Pierre and Wolf both turned in the direction instructed. Gate and Rodney joined them. They stared into the darkness in the corridor. Gate turned to Pierre.

"With me Sphinx three, rest lay back and cover our backs," Gate ordered.

Rodney looked very nervous, so Wolf gave him an encouraging smile and bumped his shoulder with hers.

Pierre nodded to the major and both men started advancing down the corridor. The light at the barrel of their rifles lit up the area in front of them slightly. They had walked ten meters when Gate gestured Pierre to stop. The Spartan III did. The screeching had stopped. They were quiet. Waiting. Had it moved away? Or planning to ambush them? Both questions Gate asked himself. He reached for his earpiece.

"Wolf, bring up-"

He didn't get any further. Pierre's BR55 started roaring. Gate got off four shots before he found himself slamming into the wall hard.

"Benjamin!" Wolf cried out in horror as the scene unfolded. Her eyes widened with fear for Benjamin's wellbeing.

Pierre continued firing at the purple exoskeleton covered xeno. When his clip ran dry, he quickly jogged backwards and slammed a new clip in. He dodged a large four clawed hand trying to swing after him.

"Want a piece of me, huh?" He shouted cockily.

He got to eat his own words when the xeno grabbed his head with two strong clawed hands and throw him around like a ragdoll. It was surprisingly fast and strong. He hit the ground behind the monster a few meters from Gate. Wolf started firing her P90 fiercely. Rodney joined in with his own after three seconds, his senses finally kicking in. Phoenix went for her M90 tactical shotgun and unloaded blast after blast.

The first rounds didn't pierce the exoskeleton, but with three people shooting simultaneously the rounds pierced into its flesh. Somehow, it seemed to almost ignore it. Behind it, Pierre was quick to stand up. He searched for his rifle. It laid to far away and he went for his pistol. Gate moved slowly and painfully on the white grey floor.

The creature rushed them. It was twelve feet tall with a jaw filled with razor sharp teeth. It had two strong legs and four long arms with sharp claws that could pierce flesh and rip anyone apart. It staggered when Phoenix hit it with a shotgun blast at five meters range.

"Fallback!" She told Rodney and Wolf.

Rodney acknowledged as he had to reload.

"Moving!" He shouted.

When Wolf's clip ran out, she didn't reload. She swung the P90 onto her back and drew her two Katana blades. She rushed at the alien creature. Her first swing was blocked by the large claws, but the second made contact and the creature screeched. He slashed at her, but Wolf ducked.

"Xeno idiot," Phoenix mumbled when she rushed over.

She pushed Wolf aside and shoved the shotgun into the creatures face. She pulled the trigger and blasted the creatures head in three distinct pieces. She turned and looked at Wolf. She was picking herself up.

"You insane? Could've gotten yourself killed."

Wolf didn't say anything. She turned half around and ran towards gate and Pierre. The Sparta was helping Gate back onto his feet. She came to a dead stop in front of them. her hands stopped mere centimeters from Gate's chest.

"A-are you ok?" She asked the dark skinned man worriedly.

His light grey eyes meeting her golden ones.

Gate nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Just got a nasty date with that wall," he joked.

Wolf snickered and realized how close she was standing to him and took a quick step back.

"I-I was worried I'd have to carry you again or something," she joked to ease her own tension.

Gate chuckled.

"Yeah? That's not how I remember it. I remember carrying you back on P1B-4X3."

The others came over to them.

"True. But that was only up to when you tripped and knocked yourself unconscious so **I** , had to carry, **you**." Wolf grinned when she reminded him of that.

"Oh. That doesn't count sense I was unconscious." He paused and raised a finger. "Plus, I'm your CO. I win."

She faked a glare.

"Cheater. That doesn't even make sense."

"Interesting engagement tactic," Rodney jokingly said as he stopped behind Wolf, deciding to join in.

Gate and Wolf broke eye contact and turned to the others.

"I, uh, was trying to tire him out."

Rodney crossed his arms and smirked.

"Next time, try getting tossed ten or so times, until he actually gets tired. Might work than."

Phoenix looked at her Spartan teammate, letting them banter.

"You good?"

He nodded.

"Yeah. Better than that freak of nature." He looked over at the alien creature.

"Wolf!" Fox shouted.

Wolf turned to catch her younger sister when Fox leaped at her. Stahl, Becky and Daniel's arrival was a little calmer and with more self-control.

"Everyone ok?" Stahl asked.

"Yep," Gate assured.

"Major took a real hit," Phoenix informed. "A checkup wouldn't hurt." Gate looked at the red and black armored giantess. "Don't want you dropping dead of internal bleeding in a firefight."

Stahl walked over and shushed the major when he tried to protest that he was fine.

"As the medic here, I decide, and I say you need a lookover. So shut your trap and let me."

Gate sighed and raised his arms in defeat.

"I'm all your, Stahl."

"Lucky me."

"Report," Becky told Phoenix.

"Commander," Phoenix acknowledged her. "This xeno alien freaky creature-"

"Sounds redundant," Pierre quipped.

Phoenix glared at him through her black visor.

"Just saying fire bird," he shrugged.

"It attacked us. Sphinx three emptied a clip into it and it didn't even slow it down," she continued without saying anything else. "Wolf, Doctor McKay and I used our combined firepower and barely scratched it. That exoskeleton it got, sturdy stuff, sir. Wolf…" she decided how to explain the xeno woman's actions. "…injured it with her Katanas. She kept it busy long enough for me to get close enough to blast its head apart with my M90. Heads more exposed."

"Especially the face," Pierre gave his input.

Becky looked over at the dead creature eight meters away from her. It was tall and looked very intimidating and strong.

"Think there's more than one?" Daniel asked.

"We have to find out," Becky said. "We need to clear the vault and search for any survivors."

"Doubt there is any," Daniel noted.

Becky ignored him and turned to face Major Gate.

"Major. Contact your people in the bunker and inform them of our situation. Doctor McKay, can you get the facility fully online?"

"I thought I wasn't supposed to touch anything," he remarked.

"Mission perimeters change," Becky said simply. "Can you do it doctor?"

"Yes, well, eh, hum, maybe. Probably, yes."

Assuming she wasn't getting a better answer, she turned on her heels. "Let's find the control room."

 _ **Aleppo**_ **, ring room**

Rya'c fired between ten and fifteen blasts with his staff weapon. Equally many was fired by the sixteen Jaffa stations in the ring room. More or less. The five Sangheili Ultras went down with only three of them being able to raise their weapons. None was able to open fire.

"Quickly now," Rya'c said.

He and his warriors quickly pulled the heavy saurian aliens from the ring and proceeded to leave them on the side. This ensured that when the Covenant ringed in next time, they wouldn't get their dead friends back. Which would somewhat give away that something was wrong.

After a moment the rings activated again. The warriors around readied to fire. This time, there was two Stealth Sangheili, one General in golden armor and an Ultra. With a rain of staff blasts at close range, all was quickly taken out. Again, they started clearing out the dead. Rya'c looked at the dead general. It appeared they decided to send some else than the blue skinned attractive woman _commanded_ , the boarding party. Still, the Covenant didn't know their commanding officer was dead. But they did know they had Jaffa at their backs.

Thankfully Kyle was jamming any communication off the ship.

The Covenant was transporting over a lot of their best troops. A lot of soldiers aboard was well-trained Covenant troops. No simple Unggoys or new recruits. Many of them were excellent fighters and put up a hell of a fight. Unless ambushed when arriving naturally.

Suddenly he felt the ship entering hyperspace. Obviously the engines was back online. After a few seconds they left hyperspace. They had traveled to the other side of the planet to rejoin the UNSC starships surviving the battle. Only ten ships remained of the once large Yorktown Fleet. The three Ha'taks that partook in the battle was also there now.

" _Lieutenant Kyle to Rya'c,"_ Rya'c heard from the terminal in the room.

"Yes lieutenant?" He answered.

" _The Covenant is out of range for the rings,"_ she told him.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Kyle," he said gratefully. "How many enemy warriors are still aboard?"

"Thirty-six, oh-eh, thirty-five now. Sensors show seven wraith, four brutes, thirteen elites and twelve jackals," she informed him promptly. "They're all situated around the ring room in small enclaves. They've dug their heels into the metal floor real good."

"We will join the rest of my men and clean up the Covenant infestation," the young Jaffa promised.

"I'll let the colonel know you're joining in," Kyle said. "Now if you excuse me, I have to get the shields and everything else back online." She wished McKay was back. He could take the lead with the repairs and speed it up significantly.

Sense they arrived, Rya'c had set up a defense around the ring room, from ring-ins and forces marching in. Half his men formed into squads and spread out to attack the Covenants back from their own improvised command center.

He decided to leave six of his men to defend the ring room, just in case, and had the rest follow him. He would join up with the rest of his warriors and sweep through the Covenant positions like a wave. Kill the enemy squads one-by-one. There were thirty Jaffa aboard _Aleppo_ right now. At least last Rya'c checked. Some of his warriors might be dead. But thirty warriors had ringed in on Bra'tac's orders. He wanted to go himself but had to get the Ha'taks back into fighting shape.

Rya'c glanced down the corridor in front of them. Two elites took cover behind boxes stacked up along the corridor. One had blue armor and a plasma rifle. The other had red armor and a Needler rifle. To Rya'c understanding of the elites so far, the red color signified an officer. Nothing as fancy as Mr golden armor from before, but a low ranking officer. They held a good defensive position. The corridor wasn't too wide and holding back numbers wasn't too hard, assuming they had enough ammunition to the Needler, sense the plasma rifle didn't need clips in the same way.

With a gesture from Rya'c, himself and four Jaffa moved into the corridors view and fired a wave of energy bolts. Two bolts hit the blue armored elite, but he didn't go down. He opened fire with his rifle. The red armored one took a hit to his faceplate had had his face badly burnt. He raised his Needler-roared-and fired.

A Jaffa was hit in the shoulder. The explosion killed him instantly and injured five others. Rya'c had his arm injured, but he fired two bolts down the corridor all the same. They had to take out that Needler wielding maniac. He covered his men so they could get the wounded out of harm's way.

A jackals with a shield and a plasma pistol hurried towards the elites from the junction behind them. Rya'c got off two blasts. One missed but the other hit the shield, staggering him. A second Jaffa fired four blasts. Three impacted and send the shield flying from his hand. The last blast killed him.

The red armored elite grabbed a blue grenade in his hand. An impressive shot from Rya'c hit the hand, and detonated the grenade. It killed both elites on the spot. The red armored one got his arm torn off. The area was left covered in Covenant blood splatter and torn off body parts.

Rya'c and three of his men took cover behind the boxes when a wraith warrior with two plasma rifles appeared. He blasted away at them. after three blasts to the chest, he staggered. Refusing to give in, he continued firing and killed two Jaffa. A jackal came up on his side to provide covering fire with his own plasma rifle.

An energy blast finally brought down the wraith. He fell backwards and dropped both plasma rifles. The jackal was hit in the arm when he went for cover the arm was blasted clean off. He cried out in horrific pain. Another shot delivered him from his pain. Rya'c and all his men moved up. he heard heavy footsteps waltzing towards the corner. He lined up a good shot and with a direct hit from three staff blasts to the head, the elite Ultra collapsed on the spot.

"Hold fire!" Rya'c heard a human voice call.

He peaked around the corner to find a group of humans. He raised his hand. The tree humans jogged up to him. one was a woman with rather pale skin and blonde short hair. Her left arm was hanging limb. It was clearly broken in several places, not to mention it was badly burnt after a plasma hit.

"Do you need a medical officer?" Rya'c asked.

She shook her head.

"Nah. Not until the Covies are off the colonels ship. I'm Master Sergeant Cortes, by the way. You boys ok?"

Rya'c nodded.

"Where is Colonel Callahan? I would like to talk to her."

Cortes face fell into sadness. Rya'c feared the worst. Cortes appeared to look up to Callahan a great deal.

"Corporal Clinton said she took a hit," she explained sadly with a worried look. "She's badly injured. Should be in sickbay."

"Attention all teams," Lieutenant Kyle spoke over the radio. "The ship is secured. With the Asgard transporter back online, we just beamed the Covenant into space." She sounded rather relieved and cheerful.

Cortes sighed. "Thank god."

When Rya'c arrived in the infirmary he looked around. He had just contacted Bra'tac to update him on the situation. He promised to contact him again when he had check up on Colonel Callahan. He looked around to see a lot of injured crewmen and marines. Cortes reluctantly sat down on a bad after a debate with a nurse that she was really fine. One she lost as the nurse threatened to restrain her if she didn't cooperate.

He saw Major Kevin Marks. He was sleeping soundly as he was rolled back in from another room. He then saw Callahan. The tan skinned woman laid on a bed with Doctor Ericson taking care of her. Rya'c saw Callahan was using a breathing apparatus to breath. One of those Tau'ri inventions.

"Is she awake?" Rya'c asked.

Ericson turned and shook his head.

"No. She's been sedated for immediate surgery. I'm sorry but I cannot talk, we must start as soon as possible," Ericson said. He gestured for a pair of medical staff to roll Callahan's bed into the next room for surgery. He turned to Rya'c one last time. "She's broken six ribs, got a number of internal bleedings and one of her lungs was punctured, almost both. We have no tie mot lose and have to move now." With that, Ericson turned around and hurried after Callahan's bed.

Rya'c looked after her. He hoped she would be alright. It didn't look good. It didn't feel good at all. If something good came out of this, it was a large arsenal of Covenant weaponry onboard Aleppo. ONI scientists would definitely love to have a look at them. Doctor McKay would probably prefer keeping a few to investigate himself.

But yet still, another Ha'tak lost. More brave brothers and sisters killed. _Aleppo_ had been injured and could likely die. Their most advanced ship and asset-he didn't like using that word right now-was crippled and in chaos. Supposedly Major Gate was next in command, but he was planetside and unavailable. The UNSC fleet had been shattered to bits. It looked very bleak right now. Could they possibly turn this around? Rya'c knew one thing could change this bleak circumstance. The destruction of the Super Dreadnought.


	18. Ch18 Unusual commander

Universal Journey Chapter 18 Unusual commander

 **Yorktown surface, Dagger base back entrance**

 **8** **th** **day**

Dawn was rising over Yorktown, a former beautiful world. Now, a planet aflame.

The two teams had returned to the surface bunker through the elevator. Bad news kept coming in. Covenant had started dropping from the Super Dreadnought again in numbers with _Aleppo_ and its stealth raiding ability disabled. The UNSC fleet had been virtually obliterated, _Aleppo_ crippled with Lt. Colonel Callahan at deaths door. And now, General Warfield had ordered the army to retreat from Dagger base on the Joint chiefs orders. All Jaffa was evacuated with them. ONI was outraged and Colonel Wadsworth ordered all ONI personal to remain and fight to the death to protect the vault. Many did, and disobeyed the Joint chiefs under their noses. Becky didn't like leaving the vault task undone, but they had to move. The Covenant would soon overrun the entire area and they'd end up behind enemy lines. If nothing else, any remaining xeno monsters would rip the Covies a new one and bloody their nose significantly.

Doctor McKay had brought a part of the database he recovered from the computers in that lab with the missile. She was hesitant at first, but decided they had to know what was going on, and having the Ancients logs or whatever research journals available would speed that up significantly. Assuming Oni didn't demand they hand it over.

Jovakhin and Porter waited for them as they had arrived moments ago. Porter was ecstatic to see everyone alright. Jovakhin had something important to tell them.

"My friends," he started. He had a heavy voice. "We have watched camera footage from the Dagger base battle. Something hit me, and I wished I would have realized it sooner. When the Dreadnought even arrived. I apologize for that."

Gate and Becky looked at each other.

"What are you talking about?" Fox asked, leaning against Wolf's shoulder and hugging her arm affectionately.

"I know who commands the Super Dreadnought, and…its name, I'm afraid."

The two teams eyes widened with surprise and confusion.

"H-how?" Rodney inquired. "H-how c-could you possibly…?" He trailed off.

"Better question," Becky started firmly. "Who?"

"I first realized it when I saw them," Jovakhin motion to the screen Porter pointed at with his thumb.

It was an image of a blue skinned alien woman with a tail and long dark blue rough hair.

"Saw the reports on them on our way here," Pierre remembered.

"They are Aeyaen's. An artificially created race of female warriors," the masked man explained. "The person that created them is the same person that commands the Super Dreadnought. You see, although I haven't met her for a long time, I still kept an ear on her, just in case. That ship, the _Malevolence_ , was built during a period of a hundred years. It was and is, the flagship of Azzadira. An old…friend, of mine."

" _Malevolence_?" Gate repeated. "Grievous wants his ship back."

"Wait, wait," Pierre tried processing all of this. "Your friend is attacking us, because?"

"We have tried to kill each other many times for the last three millennia."

The Spartans blinked.

"Wha?" Daniel asked bewildered. "You…three?"

"J-just…how old, are you?" Phoenix asked, shocked.

Jovakhin sighed.

"I have existed for approximately ten-thousand years. By your limited terms. My people…you see…we do not die of old age. We had evolved beyond such mortal laws."

'Did he call us primitives?' Phoenix wondered. It was unclear, but sure as hell-almost and kinda-sounded like it.

"I haven't told many this, but…I suppose you need an explanation. It is your planet she is attacking. Before anyone ask, no. I do not know how she came to be here, or how long, or why she is working with the Covenant. Possibly, to kill me." He then shook his head. "As unlikely as it is. She would more likely want to do it herself than risk the Covenant killing me."

"Maybe she want to expand her powerbase," Wolf mused. She remembered Jovakhin once telling her about his former love and present nemesis. Azzadira. The second to last Syyphoro-San'gyly. Jovakhin himself being the last. The two last of their species, and they had tried to kill each other for three-thousand years. Sense the fall of their empire against some powerful enemy. He never talked about that. Never mentioned what enemy they made war with.

"I appreciate you telling us all this," Gate said sincerely. He had heard parts of it before. He knew about his past. "I know this wasn't easy for you my friend."

Jovakhin nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, Benjamin."

"I have to contact my superiors," Becky said, looking at Jovakhin. "But I promise to leave some parts out."

He nodded gratefully. "Thank you. And, you should know, I spoke to General Warfield and Richard earlier. They know."

"Good," she acknowledged.

"Hey," Phoenix interjected. "What kind of military power does she have? In your reality."

"She controls a few hundred planets last I check. Could be thousands now for all I . Has for two-thousand years now," the masked xeno explained to her. "The Aeyaen's are genetically engineered super soldiers and her version of, well actually, Spartan I think I could say. Or ODSTs. She clones them, like the wraith. Her main force is made up of a race of avian militarists calling themselves the Mephini. Loyal and unquestioning servants at her disposal. The Goa'uld mothership you saw in the first battle in orbit, that was a mercenary group she hired in the milky way once."

"She's not stationed in your home galaxy?" Phoenix asked for clarification.

"We'd have noticed," Porter added his input.

"Correct," Jovakhin answered. "She's in the Purified eternity galaxy. Yes, she named it herself, more or less claiming the galaxy as her own." Pierre whistled impressed. "The wraith. She added them to her army on a trip to the Pegasus galaxy a hundred or so years ago. There were a fleet of fifty ships back then. Now. None. The last was destroyed today."

"And _Malevolence_?" Daniel asked. "What you know about it? Any specs?"

The xeno shook his head.

"Unfortunately no. I never tried sense we were in different galaxies, plus it wasn't complete at the time. It's her greatest achievement, in her mind. Her baby. It is fear of that starship that keeps her empire together. If word reaches home, the Mephini forces will find it difficult to maintain order. Her order, is kept through force of arms. Pure military superiority. Right now, she would have had four Super Dreadnoughts, but long ago, I gathered a special team o elite commandos and sabotaged her shipyards while three was being built. She caused an explosion that destroyed them and the shipyards." He looked to Becky. "Commander, I provided this historical information to your people."

She nodded in reply.

"I believe I can get aboard Malevolence."

They all stared at him.

"You didn't mention this earlier?!" Daniel exclaimed.

Jovakhin didn't look at him or directly answer him.

"Azzadira will want me, if I could make her aware of my location, she would send forces to capture me alive. She will want me alive."

"You wanna get captured?" Wolf questioned bewildered. "Are you insane?"

"Dude, that's crazy," Fox added.

"She will transport me and to the ship," he explained.

"Hold," Gate said, raising a hand. "Better idea. If they send soldiers for you. We can take them out and take their ship. Than Rodney can hack their ship systems and get us access to the flagship."

Rodney looked displeased of being volunteered to be a key part in infiltrating the flagship. He sighed aloud.

"Of course I can," he muttered.

Becky considered the improvised plan. I was a bit crazy, but could work, if correctly carried out. they were running out of options anyway. But it should be cleared with the brass first. The Joint chiefs, or at least General Warfield would have to authorize it.

 **Yorktown surface, Dagger base**

Rtek laughed as he walked over a dead Sangheili. He kicked the dead saurian by _accident_.

"These guys aren't so tough like they try to act," he claimed.

"Sense he is dead," Grek said in a deadpan voice. "I guess not."

Rtek turned to look at his wraith compatriot and laughed.

"Oh don't be like that buddy. I'm just enjoying the one nice sight around. Sense there aren't a single Kig-Yar woman in this army, I gotta have some enjoyment. Keep the spirit and moral up, ya know."

Grek just continued walking and left the Kig-Yar to his own amusement.

"Sense we're not on the _Legends eternal_ , I can't look at whose holo images from home. You've ever seen a naked Kig-Yar?"

Grek shivered at the thought.

After a minute they arrived at the base CC doors. Four War droids stood guard outside. Grek and Rtek walked through the door. Off course, Rtek walked in like he owned the place. Grek walked to the Sangheili major in the room. He was barking at two Sangheili minors at the moment. He turned to Rtek and Grek.

"Commander," he recognized Grek, but ignored Rtek.

He glared back at him for the insult.

"Hey listen-" the Kig-Yar started.

"-What's the situation?" Grek interrupted.

"Most of the UNSC soldiers are pulling out, along with their alien allies," the major informed. "Some pockets of human resistance is still fighting. But they are spread out and surrounded. It's only a matter of time before they are slaughtered."

"I heard similar things about this place like, two days ago," Rtek abruptly said.

The Sangheili glared at him venomously.

"They must surely be low on supplies," he started. "And masses of reinforcements is arriving from _Malevolence_. The heretics cannot withstand us."

Rtek looked around casually. His casual approach quickly died as he looked at the dozen or so human bodies littered around. Adding to it that a handful of Unggoy was cleaning out their twenty-ish dead brethren. A pair of them tried pulling a large Sangheili Stealth warrior out, but he was **way** too heavy. Instead they turned their attention to a wraith warrior. They called two more over and with their forces combined, they started to slowly drag the body out. Rtek could count to eight Sangheili in the room, plus slightly over ten War droids and a similar number of wraith.

"What a waste of life," he said outright. He didn't even look at Grek or the major. "Was it worth it all?" It sounded like a rhetorical question, the way he said it.

"The vault we seek," Grek said. "Have you found it yet?"

The major nodded with some excitement.

"Yes-yes commander! Field marshal Kaaldrumee will be very pleased. We have almost cleared out the last humans by the vault door. We can soon enter the temple."

Grek nodded. He could not care less of temples, religion and these alien soldiers' lives. This is what he was born to do. War. He was good at it. Especially ground warfare. He knew how to combat enemies effectively on land. In the old days, before Lady Azzadira, it wasn't often wraith needed to combat on ground. If they fought amongst themselves, it often took place in space and if they attacked an advanced civilization, they usually used Darts and warships before sending in troops to clean anything left up. Not to say it didn't happen. Just not usually with a massive force of ground troops.

A Sangheili Zealot entered the CC. That he was a zealot was something Rtek saw on his armor. Same like pretty much all zealot commanders. He was tall, a feet taller than the common Sangheili actually, but not as big as Kaaldrumee. Four Unggoy strolled right behind him, looking like pathetic bodyguards or something.

"Shipmaster," the major greeted.

"Major, commander," he replied. He looked at Rtek. "Shipmaster."

Rtek nodded back. A bit surprised that the Zealot bastard even acknowledged his existence. Usually Zealots was assholes straight through. This guy almost seemed bearably to be around for a time.

"Shipmaster," Rtek returned.

"I am Shipmaster Agor Velfamee. I came with the reinforcements," the Zealot explained to them. "My forces are securing the remaining human positions and keeping them isolated until further notice. I start in the north of this base."

"Shall I dispatch forces to assist, Shipmaster?" The major offered.

Velfamee nodded curtly and flared his mandibles as he breathed out through his mouth.

"Do so. Instruct any Lances to wait for my men to arrive. I intend to do this without serious casualties. My men will end this expensive operation."

The major nodded.

"Yes, Shipmaster."

Rtek was honestly surprised. This Zealot actually sounded sincere in his expressions. He seemed to actually care for those who died under his commands, carrying out his orders.

Velfamee looked around in the CC. So many dead. Unggoy, wraith, human and Sangheili. One day, it all had to end. His mind quickly went to his Battlecruiser. The _Reclaimer of truth_. It was on its way here under his second in command. Fel Magrromee. It was under the command of Prophet of Enlightenment. He looked at Rtek, studying the Kig-Yar mercenary/pirate/Covenant soldiers. Soldier of fortune, he would probably call himself though. Either way, he was possibly what he needed. Yes, he might be it. But he had to watch him though. Keep an eye on him. it wasn't time yet. Secrecy, planning and micro-movements was the order of the day still. He couldn't risk the Covenant found it anything.

"Where's Kaaldrumee?" Rtek asked.

"I suspect in communications with _Malevolence_ ," Velfamee mused. "Bragging about his great victory for the Covenant."

Rtek laughed. Grek didn't react at all, but the major looked unease.

"Now," the Shipmaster said. "If you excuse me, I will join my men in battle."

He walked out with the four Unggoy loyally following behind him.

Rtek looked after him. He was a strange one.

"Well," he said stretching his arms out. "It is time for me to return to my Corvette. My dear _Legends eternal_." He had a big smile of his face. "Why don't you join me, Grek?"

Grek shook his head.

"Oh, come on buddy! Let's just party, relax and be merry!"

"I must decline," Grek said.

"Fine," Rtek finalized. "But my invitation is always open if you change your mind." He turned around and walked towards the door. "I'll gather my men up then."

After all of this, his men needed a heck of a relax with alcohol and all. Sense that stuff was not exactly allowed aboard Covenant ships, he had tons of it stored away in hidden compartments on board. His men needed some damn Kig-Yar alcohol to drown themselves in now. After all. The Corvette was a lot emptier now. A few dozen faces had disappeared amongst them. It was time to feast and mourn their fallen brethren. More would probably die before this fucking invasion was over.

Velfamee's men didn't command the same way as most Sangheili did. The Unggoy under his command weren't thrown at the enemy as cannon fodder. In the Shipmasters mind, a dead soldier-including Unggoy-couldn't do much fighting anymore. Given he was dead. Every Unggoy aboard his ship, _Reclaimer of truth_ , was trained by Sangheili officers. To shot, as much as taking cover. He inspired great loyalty with the troops he commanded. Unggoy loved that they weren't treated like shit, like they were by everyone else in the Covenant. Sangheili warriors leading Unggoy Lances tried to keep their men alive, like you would anyone who wasn't Unggoy. The Shipmaster had a reputation between the Unggoy in the Covenant military.

Grek turned to the major.

"Have you gained access to the humans computer systems?"

"No commander. But there is experts on the way."

 **Yorktown surface, HQ**

 **10** **th** **day**

In the last three days, everything had gone to hell. The decision rather or not to infiltrate _Malevolence_ had made a dead stop. The Joint chiefs had debated it but didn't make any decision. But to be fair, they had a lot on their mind. The last airfield fell two days ago. Even with Jaffa support, they were overwhelmed. Hundreds of villages had been burnt to ash, many with the people still there. Dagger base's last ONI troops was slaughtered two days ago. The Joint chiefs was deciding how to deal with Colonel Wadsworth disobedience. He had ordered his men to stay and die at Dagger base. At least fifty ONI soldiers and officers obeyed, and died pointlessly to protect the damned Vault.

Woolsey sipped down some coffee from a cup. He was way beyond frustrated. He could not get the Joint chiefs to agree to attack _Malevolence_. Major Gate suggested to screw them and just do it anyway, but cooperation was necessary in Woolsey's eyes. It was there planet, after all. He really wished Callahan was here. But she was still on _Aleppo_. Recovering from her injures. She was still in sickbay, under Ericson's supervision. That left Gate aboard and in command.

With Rodney's help for the last two and a half day, Aleppo was more or less up and running. Some secondary systems was still haywire. Shields had just come online and weapons was offline.

Woolsey had just left a meeting with the UNSC and Bra'tac about defending the planets capital. Brighthelm was almost surrounded and the UNSC aero forces was outmatched and badly outnumbered. The skies would soon belong to the Covenant. If Vice Admiral Dorneget arrived today, it might change their luck. _Aleppo_ 302s was providing cover for civilians transports evacuating. Two-hundred-thousand had evacuated already, but millions was still here.

He looked up as he could here bombs dropping. The Covenant was bombing the city. Corvettes was blasting away at it. The only reason their fleet was alive, was because the ran every time _Malevolence_ tried engaging. It might look cowardly, but it kept their fleet alive.

There were some good news though. Six of the ten UNSC starships had Goa'uld shields now. The remaining four was in the works. _Aleppo_ engineers-spared from _Aleppo's_ own repairs-was also planning to install hyperdrives on each ship. That was in the future though.

Around one-hundred weapons had been recovered from the boarding of _Aleppo_. Including a Serpent assault rifle, used by War droids, the Aeyaen's and some wraith. Two thirds of the captured weapons was turned over to the UNSC and they kept the last third of them.

"Refill?" Warfield broke him from his thoughts.

Woolsey looked up at the giant of a man.

"Oh, no thank you, general."

"I'm not the bearer of good news, I'm afraid," Warfield said as he sat down. "Covenant reinforcements just arrived. Over a hundred ships. Times running out. I have recalled fireteam Sphinx. Inform your people, I'm authorizing the plan to infiltrate _Malevolence_."

Woolsey nodded. Finally the Joint chiefs acted.

Almost as if he knew, Warfield said, "The Joint chiefs doesn't know. I'm going around them."

"I, see," Woolsey said. He was uncomfortable with this.

"We can't afford wasting more time. Right now, Yorktown is lost. No doubt about it," he said in a hard voice. "But that Super Dreadnought needs to go, no matter the outcome of this invasion. We can't allow them to keep using it against us." He paused. "If Mr Jovakhin is right, and that ship has factories and cloning facilities on board, we need to destroy it. Cripple Azzadira and perhaps even killing her in the process."

Woolsey sighed and swallowed while straightening his back.

"I'm make the call." So this was it. Everything on one card.

 _ **Malevolence**_ **, briefing room**

Azzadira was meeting with Fleetmasters Demmuda and Selumee before they both departed for their one flagships. Field marshal Orn Kaaldrumee was there, appearing as a hologram. Jiralhanae Chieftain Dentarus and General Thel'mola also had a holographic presence. The last two present was Toby and Prophet of Enlightenment himself. He was sitting in his Gravity throne. Looking high and mighty for undeserved reasons. There were suspicions he would soon become a Hierarch. He would join the Prophet of Truth and Prophet of Mercy-or so rumors and whispers said.

"Five days," Enlightenment said aloud, resting on his elbows. "That's how long this invasion has progressed. You assured us it would take a week, Azzadira."

Azzadira looked calmly at him.

"Five days are less than seven," she simply reminded him.

Enlightenment didn't find that amusing, unlike Kaaldrumee. Demmuda was surprised to hear the giant Zealot chuckling quietly. Enlightenment narrowed his eyes, but didn't wave his fists around furiously.

"That, leaves you two days."

"Us," Azzadira motioned to everyone in the briefing room. "Including you." She paused. "Let's remember, that the San'Shyuum decided the schedule. Not me. Not the military. You people. In fact, I think it was you, Secret and even Truth and Mercy. Am I wrong?"

Enlightenment raised his finger warningly.

"No one is un-expendable," he told her fiercely with an intensified glare. "No one."

Kaaldrumee glared at the him. He didn't like the San'Shyuum or his tone.

Azzadira grabbed a pad and threw it onto the table.

"I think we should talk about the report on Aleppo."

Enlightenment arched an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Because you removed information from it!" Selumee snapped, his mandibles flaring.

Demmuda raised a hand and silenced him.

"Why, Prophet?" He had a firm but eased tone.

Kaaldrumee looked at the Fleetmaster with disapproval.

Enlightenment seemed to consider his answer for a moment. He leaned back.

"It was needless information. It was irrelevant," he responded nonchalantly.

"Irrelevant?" Demmuda lowered his eyebrows. "The fact _Aleppo_ has a cloaking device, is irrelevant?"

Enlightenment nodded slowly.

"Correct."

"How is something that important irrelevant?" Selumee demanded, temporarily submitting to Demmuda's wishes.

Enlightenment put his hands together.

"A good commander finds a way to win, no matter numbers, technology and intelligence."

It wasn't an answer at all. Just a lame excuse.

"That isn't a good enough answer," Selumee told him, smacking his hand against the table.

Enlightenment rose slightly.

"You dare question me!" He screamed in furious rage. "Do not question my decision Fleetmaster! **You** …are replaceable."

"You're actions could be seen as deception, or an attempt to sabotage the invasion," Azzadira stated.

"You go too far," Dentarus growled in the Prophets defense.

"Nay," Kaaldrumee interjected. "She is right, Chieftain. We lost several ships because of this deception. Many of our brave soldiers died."

Enlightenment waved it off nonchalantly.

"They died for the Covenant and the Great Journey. There is no greatest achievement." He arch an eyebrow. "Besides, isn't that what soldiers are for?"

Kaaldrumee narrowed his eyes.

"Now, it is high time you wiped out the human fleet," he said. "Fleetmaster Demmuda. Assume command of the fleet and lead our forces to victory. Than General Thel'mola, you will find the artifact on the planet. But first, I wish to see you in person."

Thel'mola bowed his head obediently. Demmuda nodded simply. He glanced at Azzadira.

"This is an impressive ship. A suitable flagship."

"My, flag ship, you mean," Azzadira said coolly. "This is my ship."

Enlightenment snorted.

"You are an ally of the Covenant. What is yours, is ours. Mine."

Azzadira stood up.

"In that case, I think I'll take my ship, my technology, my armies, the wormhole generator, and leave. And, I will be reclaiming the hyperdrive technology I gave you on Hollow faith."

"That is not acceptable," Enlightenment scowled. "The Hierarchs-"

"I don't take orders from the Hierarchs. I'm your ally. Not an Unggoy slave soldier."

Kaaldrumee spoke up. "Lady Azzadira is the best way to win this war quickly. _Malevolence_ is our greatest weapon. It can destroy entire UNSC armadas. We've never built anything half as glorious as it. Even the human heretics largest ships are tiny insects compared to this Super Dreadnought."

"Selumee didn't like Azzadira, but he agreed they needed her, for now.

"Her wraith are working hard on installing the hyperdrives and it will take a long time to upgrade are whole fleet," he added his two cents. "The report before we left said our scientists would need months to simply understand the technology. It would be years until they could upgrade the fleet. I care nothing for politics, only the Covenant. Only the warriors fighting in this war. They won't die unnecessarily."

Enlightenment spun his gravity chair around.

"This meeting is adjourned," he spat. "I will return to the _Transcendent Justice_."

Selumee stormed out. He was beyond frustrated. His beloved Covenant was going to collapsed unless something was done. Maybe Velfamee was right. Maybe, about what he said yesterday. After the short meeting with the San'Shyuum bastard he had a whole new image of the previous conversation. He had lost all thought of informing anyone and having Velfamee arrested and executed for his suggestion.

By the time he got on board his one ship, a Battlecruiser named _Illumination of Dawn_ , he made way to his private quarters. He locked himself inside and contacted the _Reclaimer of truth_ on his terminal.

After a while Major Magrromee appeared. He quickly brought Velfamee to the bridge and the screen in question.

"Fleetmaster," the Sangheili Shipmaster greeted politely, his clenched hand touching his chest. "What can I do for you?"

Selumee breathed in and breathed out.

"What do you plan to do?"

Velfamee smiled widely.

"I am, more than happy to hear you ask. I see you won't turn me in then. I was worried for a moment, Fleetmaster. But now! Let, us, talk. Perhaps aboard Reclaimer of truth? Everyone aboard is with me. I have received very important intelligence of utmost importance. The next day will decide the future of the Covenant."

Selumee nodded slowly, but firmly.

"Very well."

He closed the channel. Bowing his head down, he wondered was he had just done. Where it would lead? Success, or a quick and summary execution.

 **Malevolence, Azzadira's quarters**

She was excited to the brink of dancing, almost. Word had just arrived that a man in robes and a dark grey mask over his face, just. Like. Hers. It was him. It had to be. Three-thousands years of conflict was about to end. Three millennia of chasing each other and trying to kill the other was at an end.

It was all coming down to this.

* * *

So, already another chapter. If anyone's wondering why I'm uploading so many recently, I'm on a roll with the writing. It's all just comming together perfectly on paper and in my head. Also, got a lot of information in this chapter, especially at the beginning. Jovakhin and Azzadira's backstory come together further.

Oh, yeah, I just changed the prolog up a bit. Might want to have a little look.

Well, enjoy!


	19. Ch19 Malevolence

Universal Journey Chapter 19 Malevolence

 _ **Malevolence**_ **, small hangar**

The transport was coming in for a landing. As it landed four Unggoy, led by a wraith engineer approached where the front ramp would lower. As the wraith understood it, there was an important prisoner aboard. The Jiralhanae was bringing him back to lady Azzadira. He had to admit, he was curious about who this important prisoner was. Maybe a UNSC military leader? Or the Commander of the _USS Aleppo_.

As the ramp lowered, it was very dark inside the ship. A sniper shot at high velocity split his head open. Four other rounds from inside killed the grunts. Becky came down the ramp with Daniel, Pierre and Porter. Porter had a grin on his face. He was excited to be inside the monstrous ship finally.

Phoenix came out behind them with her M397 sniper rifle ready. Jovakhin, Gate, Rodney, Stahl, plus Fox and Wolf joined them. The hangar was easy to secure. It was only two-hundred meters wide with full sight in all directions. Apart from Seraph fighters and a few dropships, it was empty.

"We gotta move fast," Becky said. "They'll realize something's wrong soon."

"When I am not reported in the brig," Jovakhin said. "I would say twenty minutes perhaps. And, that is only if we do not get caught or has to kill anyone else."

"Yeah. Doubt that's gonna happen," Stahl said honestly.

"Move out," Becky commanded.

They quickly made their way through the hangar to the door. The hallway outside was thankfully empty. They were thankful to Jovakhin, sense he claimed to know where the generator would be. Daniel was hesitant to trust him, but Becky did. This wasn't the time to mistrust each other. She was pretty sure it would be easy to get lost in the many junctions and corridors. After five minutes of wandering around, they had avoided contact three times, but just barely. They used an elevator to travel down ten levels.

Becky knew they would soon get spotted. And it happened earlier than she thought. Two Wraith came around the corner. Gate and Porter was quick and fired two zat shots at both. They quickly collapsed after violently shaking for a moment. Gate fired one more shot at both, and they were gone.

"One incapacitate, two kill, three disintegrate," Gate told Becky.

"Impressive," she acknowledged. "Very useful."

"Very."

Their slowl and very, very careful journey through the ship continued unhindered. Through corridor and corridor. At least until Becky almost collided with a really quiet Aeyaen. The female was visually surprised to see humans aboard. She kicked Becky in the chest, but the Spartan grabbed her leg and spun her around. Gate raised his zat to blast the Aeyaen female, but she was quickly up on her feet and kicked the gun out of his hand.

Turning to Becky she kicked her rifle and drew her own Serpent assault rifle. She ducked when Becky squeezed the trigger to blow her head off. A bullet from Daniel rasped her skin, but she ignored it and pointed her rifle at Becky's head. The Spartan woman body slammed her,, allowing Gate to bring out his 9mm and put a slug in the females forehead.

"Disintegrate her quickly," Becky said when she got up.

"Too late," Pierre alerted.

At the end of the corridor. Forty meters away, stood two brutes.

"Demons!" One of them exclaimed.

He started rushing them. The other took cover, probably to call in the intruder alert.

"Looks like times up," Porter noted.

"I'll take him," Phoenix called.

She ran up towards the approaching brute with her M90 at the ready. The brute roared as he was about to jump her. Phoenix raised her shotgun and sent a shell into his chin. He fell backwards violently. Dead.

"We have to move quickly," Jovakhin explained calmly.

The other brute looked out from his cover. Fox remade her assault rifle into an improvised sniper rifle. She aimed and sent a round through his eye socket. The shot-however-echoed through the corridors of the ship.

The two teams quickly picked up the pace to reach the generator chamber. There was going to be thousands of Covenant on them soon. Their best troops certainly. God knew how many Aeyaen's. granted brutes and elites had a more menacing and intimidating look to them, but Aeyaen's had proved to be much faster and very agile. Great shots and with almost Matrix moves when dodging bullets sometimes.

They came into a corridor where two brutes was setting up a turret outside a cargo elevator. They turned to see the intruders.

"Don't let them grab it!" Becky shouted. A hail of bullets sprayed over the brutes. They quickly fell down, dead.

Jovakhin stopped for a moment.

"This cargo elevator is the only way down to the generator sector of the ship from this end. This, is the only way out again," he explained.

Becky pointed to Daniel and Pierre.

"Hold," she told them.

"Sir," Daniel affirmed. "We'll keep the door open for you."

Pierre manned the turret and grinned.

"Come and get some assholes."

The rest got into the large and open cargo elevator and Jovakhin fiddled with the controls until it started going down. Into the bowls on the ship. Ever deeper inside it.

Daniel took up position behind a few crates.

"You think any elites in the first wave?" He asked casually.

"Yeah. Probably," Pierre replied.

"I don't think so," Daniel countered. "Bet there still organizing their heavy guns. I'm thinking wraith and grunts. A few jackals maybe. Whoever happens to be nearby, you know? War droids, Aeyaen's, brutes, elites. Nah. Their grouping up to cut us off."

"I bet a week's rations you're wrong," Pierre offered.

Daniel looked at him.

"You, sir, are on."

They started hearing a bunch off footsteps. No heavy. Smaller and lighter. First around the corner was a jackal major leading five grunts. Pierre let the turret roar and cut the six down with plasma. The grunts didn't even have time to scream or run. Daniel was bummed he didn't get a shot off, but happier it seemed he might win this bet.

Next up was a three wraith with Serpent assault rifles and six grunts. Pierre had to duck the plasma shots but still managed to easily open up a barrage in the corridor. This time Daniel put a round into a gas suckers head.

"Congratulations," Pierre teased. "You got one."

Daniel smirked.

"Well I'm not seeing any elites or heavy of any kind yet. And…think that was the first wave you mowed down."

Before Pierre could answer, he saw movements at the far end, instead of the junction. He grinned widely.

"Hah! What's that huh?!" He called teasingly.

"Damn it," Daniel muttered.

Pierre let the turret roar through the corridor, gunning after the five elites approaching. They fired plasma and needler rifles. Right behind them came a unit of six grunts. They were led by a brute with a Spiker in his hands. Daniel's MA5 opened up on an elite major. He ducked a Needler shot. He fired half his clip to bring the major down. The explosion from the needler shot behind him threw him off. He quickly picked himself together and took aim. Two bullets into the head was enough for the brute to collapsed forward. Pierre cleaned up four elites and the grunts. The last elite took cover behind an enclave in the wall. He peeked out to fire. Pierre led the turret train on his alone and fired.

Daniel lined up a shoot when he finally looked out at the right, or wrong, opportunity. He got the opportunity when Pierre's turret overloaded and he had to wait for it to recharge to fire again.

"You're up!" Pierre said.

The elite peaked out. A micro second later his head was pierced by three slugs from Daniels MA5. He collapsed into a limb bloody pile.

"Definitely own me rations now," Pierre said.

"I bow to your humble will," Daniel mumbled sarcastically.

Pierre laughed.

He reloaded a new clip and prepared for the next rush of enemies. Sooner or later-probably sooner-they would come in large and virtually overwhelming numbers. It was just a matter of how long it took them to mobilize in this part of the ship.

He cocked is head back.

"You hear that?"

Pierre nodded.

"Yeah, sure do. Metal feet against the floor."

It sounded like a lot of War droids coming their way. Maybe the true fun was beginning now. They appeared in the corridor. Six in a raw and an unknown number deep. The first line opened fire in their general direction.

"Suck plasma!" Pierre let out a battle cry and the turret roared fiercely. Three War droids went down immediately. "I've always wanted to say that!" He shouted over his the plasma fire.

"Now you have," Daniel replied using the armors comm.

He fired two rounds. A War droid went down. Another round, taking down a second. Pierre's turret was eating away at the War droids ranks. He was mowing through the four line. Daniel shifted his barrel, head shooting a War droid. Shifting his barrel and sight just slightly, he put four rounds into ones chest. It went down. He fired ten rounds. Six War droids went down, piling up on the others. The turret then overloaded.

"Great timing!" Pierre shouted, taking cover.

"Would you-" Daniel started as he lobbed a frag grenade down the corridor. "-stop fucking shouting. You have a comm in the armor."

"I know, but this is so much more-" the grenade exploded, ripping many War droids apart. "-cooler!"

Daniel looked completely in his direction.

"No it isn't!"

Meanwhile Becky, Jovakhin and Gate had point as they hurried through a ten meter wide corridor with dozens of double doors. Rodney and Fox was right behind them with Wolf on Fox's flank. Phoenix was in the back with Porter. A wraith entered from a door of their left. She was quick to put a round through the wraith commanders skull. They didn't stop moving.

Jovakhin opened the door at the corridors and and hurried through. He then stopped as Rodney closed the doors.

"Seal them," Jovakhin said. "Temporarily."

"Got it," Rodney acknowledged. He started keying the terminal no the wall beside the doors.

Jovakhin turned to Becky and Gate. He pointed down the junction's left corridor and then the right.

"We'll get cut off here unless someone holds."

"Splitting up again?" Fox complained. "Shouldn't we like…stick together? We need as many as possible to reach the generator right?"

"We need to come back afterwards. Need an exit," Gate told her.

Phoenix looked from Jovakhin to Gate.

"As long as we take out the xeno bitches ship, does it matter if we survive? We gotta do this," she said with a mix of honesty and a stern and professional outlook.

Gate looked at her.

"Our priority is the generator and destroying the ship, but that doesn't mean we gotta die. Not unless there's a chance," he argued.

"I'll stay," Fox volunteered. To Wolf's displeasure.

"I'll cover her back," Phoenix offered.

"Good luck," Jovakhin said.

Wolf walked over to Wolf and affectionately grabbed her head. She leaned it forward and kissed the top of her sisters head twice. She turned about and joined the others and they started moving down the third corridor in the junction. Phoenix and Fox set up to cover one direction each. The latter converting her assault rifle into a sniper rifle again.

Phoenix spotted a target first. She popped a bullet into the wraith's head. Next up was four grunts. She sent a round into one of their methane tanks. It exploded momentarily and took out the whole unit.

"That, sounded impressive," Fox said, looking the other direction.

They were sitting on opposite sides of the corridor. Both having the archways edge as cover while looking down the other way.

She fired at three wraith rushing up. They were a hundred meters away from the junction, same as Phoenix's targets. The first wraith dropped quickly. The second took a round in his cheek and just growled and stopped momentarily. The next round brought him down. Blood dripping out from the hole in his mask. Fox smirked and took out the third. He fired two purple bolts of plasma at her before going down.

"It was," Phoenix responded. "Thank you."

"Are you being nice to me?" Fox asked jokingly.

Phoenix put a round through a brutes eye socket.

"Don't get too used to it," she retorted playfully.

Fox got a headshot on two elites.

"I'll try. No promises." She saw an Aeyaen with ten elite Ultras charging with guns blazing. "Crap."

She put a round in one of the elites paths. His shields absorbed it. With a serious frown she fired five more rounds at him in quick succession. She noticed his shields flickering. Two more rounds brought his shields down. He started falling in behind another elite with shields.

"That's not working with me," Fox muttered. She fired a careful round, dropping the Ultra to the ground.

She had to duck when the Aeyaen fired at her. Getting out again, she fired two shots at her, both missing.

"Damn it!" She cursed.

She quickly showed why she loved her customizable rifle. She removed a few parts and-bang-it's a regular assault rifle.

She unloaded her mag at the Aeyaen. She was the closest. She was a bit faster and a lot more agile then the elites. She set the rifle to fully automatic and squeezed the trigger hard. She mowed down the female warrior. Bloody finally! Turning to the elites she continued firing at them. But after six shots, she had to reload. They were getting very close.

"Phoenix, trouble!"

Phoenix took out a War droid and swiftly shifted to face the other direction, looking around the doorways corner. She fired a slug at an Ultra. It connected with the shields and he turned to fire in her direction as he continued running.

Thinking quick, she got out her M90 tactical and fired four full blasts at them. One elite fell down with a short shriek. Phoenix turned to fire one at the wraith from the other direction before turning back and emptying her clip into the Ultras.

After reloading Fox fired again. The last elite went down. But they had no time to breath out.

"Thanks," Fox said.

"Any time," Phoenix assured her.

Already ten grunts with two Aeyaen's was moving up from Fox's direction.

"Fuck it," she decided and threw a grenade at them.

"Grenade-go boom!" A grunt exclaimed in fear. "R-run!"

Too late. It exploded and killed several of them. Both Aeyaen's survived. But one was limping slightly. With her movements reduced, Fox could easily take her out with two rounds through her blue pretty face.

She reverted her assault rifle into a sniper rifle and fired three rounds at the second Aeyaen commando. One hit her arm. She ducked a burst of plasma bolts. When the Aeyaen started coming within five meters she left cover and placed three slugs right in her gut. She gasped and fell to her knees. Fox ended her pain and misery with a headshot.

"Throwing frag!" Phoenix alerted her.

The frag killed two brutes and an Aeyaen. They had been trying to get up a turret in the middle of the corridor. The grenade turned it into smoking rubble.

Becky was amazed when she entered the generator chamber. It was at least a thousand meters wide. She had trouble seeing the bottom on the chamber. Only four walkways led to the massive generator in the middle. One on each side of it and a circle connecting them around it.

"Fuck," Porter breathed. "That's our generator? White glowing crystal thing?"

Jovakhin nodded.

"That is correct, Ian. It is."

Stahl whistled.

Gate gripped his P90 tighter.

"Let's finish this," he said. "By now they know where we're going."

They hurried towards the middle, across the walkway and towards the main computer. Rodney hurried to work. He started looking through it for a way to overload the generator. The others assumed defensive positions. Porter, Wolf and Becky all took up a walkway to hold. Gate remained back to cover Rodney while he worked. Jovakhin chose the position to cover both Becky and Porter with his M16. Stahl covered Wolf's walkway. The fourth way was clear sense they came from there and Fox and Phoenix covered their backs.

"Hurry up, will you?" Gate requested.

"The system is huge," Rodney told him while he worked frantically. "I'm working as fast as I can but its freaking huge. This might take time, unless I get lucky."

"Get lucky than. And quickly."

"Right. Get right on that," he quipped sarcastically.

Three doors leading to the other walkways opened almost simultaneously. Jackals rushed through one, towards Wolf and Stahl's position. Elites with grunt support charged at Becky and Porter had a gang of brutes under the command of an elite Zealot.

The jackals lined up three marksman on the walkways over side, cowering behind crates of metal. Five more with plasma rifles charged forward, taking cover as they advanced. Wolf's P90 put a slug through one of their avian skulls. They responded with combined firing. She ducked. She was thankful that the generator covered Rodney's position. Gate sat in cover, half behind it and half not. He fired four slugs, hitting a jackal in the chest. Stahl fired two slugs into a jackals eye and through his skull.

Becky pulled up one of the two plasma grenades she had picked up earlier. She lobbed one over. It attached to an elite before exploding. He tried frantically to get it off, but in vain. He was torn apart and four grunts was thrown like ragdolls through the air, albeit a short distance.

Becky half emptied her remaining clip into an elites head. He staggered and collapsed. She shifted her rifle and put three shots towards another elite. He fell over dead. She ducked from incoming plasma fire. Jovakhin managed to outflank him and took him out. the saurian collapsed beside a dead counterpart.

The Spartan-092 reloaded with a new magazine. She got up from cover and fired the MA5. She injured an elite but didn't do enough damage to come close to killing him. She ducked back to cover as she fired a few more rounds, hitting and blowing up a methane breather. The explosion put the elite on fire and he was forced from his cover. Becky and Jovakhin both went for a headshot. Surprisingly the remaining three grunts didn't run. They charged with guns blazing and war cries.

"A-att-ack!" One of them screamed.

Becky could easily pick them off.

Jovakhin turned his attention to Porter. Three brutes was already down and the fluffy haired man throw a grenade over the walkway. The Zealot got fully behind cover, same as the other four brutes. One of them stopped dead in his tracks. He lowered the gravity hammer and-didn't get further before the grenade exploded.

"Oh, for fucksake!" Porter exclaimed annoyed when the brute remained standing.

He roared and charged over the walkway. Gravity hammer held high. Two brutes fired their Spike rifles. Jovakhin put a pair of M16 rounds through one of their noses, right into the skull. His helmet was the only thing stopping the bullets from smashing right through.

"Kill them!" The elite Zealot shouted. "Reach the generator!"

Porter's rifle clicked. "Fuck." He went for his pistol as the brute approached quickly. He started firing the 9mm until the gun clicked too. The brute caught one in the right eye and cried out. He stopped and stepped back. Porter used the time to unload his pistol and keep firing. He saw M16 fire kill another brute and keep the Zealot behind cover.

" _Anybody got any explosives on?!"_ Gate asked over the radio. _"Any C4?"_

" _Negative, sir,"_ Stahl responded first.

" _I am afraid not, Benjamin,"_ Jovakhin said.

" _I have a few charges,"_ Becky informed. _"What you thinking?"_

" _We blow the walkways, part from our way out."_

That would ensure that no one could reach them before they were done.

"Agreed. I'll set one here before more charge in on my position," Becky decided.

She moved up as firing was heard all around her. If they could rig the fourth and last walkway after leaving, no one could touch the generator. Off course it didn't matter that much. Doctor McKay was locking down the system when he was done. That way no one could stop the countdown.

When the brute recovered and raised the gravity hammer again, Jovakhin emptied his entire new clip into him. Finally, we went down and Porter switched back to his P90 from the 9mm. he breathed out.

"I owe you one man," he told Jovakhin.

"Don't mention it, Ian," came the answer from the calm voice.

The Zealot got up and rushed forward. Porter got his last grenade and lobbed it over. The Zealot got to cover quickly, before the grenade exploded on the walkway. Before leaving cover he fired a few plasma shots off. but two grenades exploding had destabilized the walkway and his weight was too much to bear. It collapsed and he fell screaming towards the floor far-far below.

"That's one less explosive," Porter shrugged. "Lost my walkway, moving to support you girls."

"Always appreciate your company!" Wolf shot back as she ducked from a plasma bolt.

Stahl took out the last of the jackal snipers scurrying about.

"I'm almost out of ammo," Wolf announced. "P90s almost dry."

"Blowing walkway!" Becky shouted.

She ran from the bridge when a dozen wraith warriors assaulted her position. She waited until they got out of the walkway before detonating it. Those who didn't die in the explosion fell to a quick death.

"Rodney!" Gate shouted.

"I'm trying!" He snapped back.

"Maybe you shouldn't stress him, sir?" Stahl suggested.

"He works better under stress and possibility of impending death."

Rodney mumbled in an aggravated voice to himself while he desperately searched through the alien console before him.

"Ehm, guys. Got a small problem here."

"Specifically?" Gate asked, the chamber temporarily quiet.

Gate and Becky came up on him.

"What is the problem?" She asked. "Can't find it?"

"Oh no, I have. I've found it but…I-I…I can't lock the systems down. It's too advanced. needs DNA clearance. From, Azzadira, I guess."

"Hmm," Jovakhin voiced. "Smart of her." but he didn't expect less from his former lover.

"That means one thing," Becky said. "Someone's gotta stay behind and keep the generator untouched." The rest of the teams joined them. gate opened his mouth to speak, certainly volunteer, but Becky was faster. "I'm the logical choice. I stay."

"No, wait," gate raised his hand. "UNSC gonna need a Spartan. Let me stay. Commander."

Wolf's eyes widened when she heard him say that. But thankfully, Sphinx one shook her head adamantly. She felt like a horrible person for thinking that. But she couldn't help it.

"I stay. And major good luck." She turned to Rodney who looked shocked and hesitantly at her. "Do it."

He nodded slowly.

"Overloading generator." He turned around after twenty seconds. "Done. We gotta go." He looked at Becky. "Good luck and, eh-I rigged a few internal explosions to keep the Covenant preoccupied."

She nodded back at him.

"You to doctor. Major."

"Benjamin."

She looked at him for a moment.

"Get my men out of here, Benjamin."

"Have my word." He handed her a grenade. "Got one left."

She accepted it and they started jogging back the way they came before. She made her way to the last of the three walkways. The one Wolf and Stahl had held and prepped her last charge. With none left. She would soon have to hold the fourth from incoming Covenant forces. And they would come in numbers to.

Suddenly an elite came through the door. It was a golden armored one. General Thel'mola. He raised his blue plasma rifle and fired. Becky started running. Behind Thel'mola came five elites. All with energy swords. The female Spartan III fired her MA5 at them, managed to bring down one of them. she hit Thel'mola's rifle, causing him to drop it and clench his hand. He growled menacingly. Obviously it didn't make any difference with Becky. A Spartan didn't get scared. When her rifle rang dry, she threw it aside, having used her last clip. She grabbed the dead brutes gravity hammer and ran right towards the elites.

She jumped and slammed the hammer into the ground. She caught the elites to lose their balance. Using these few seconds before they recovered perfectly, she slammed the hammer onto an elites head, cracking his skull. She jumped and managed to hit an elites legs. She heard bones cracking. She silenced him with another blow. She dodged a strike with an energy sword when another swung at her. she slammed the hammer into his side, pushing him off the walkway. He screamed as he fell to his violent but quick death. Death by floor.

This left Thel'mola and one elite warrior. It was a Stealth elite. Both tried to slash her with their swords, but missed. The general suddenly got a hit and cut across her armor and arm. The gravity hammer fell to the ground with a large thud.

Becky drew her M6 pistol and fired into the Stealth elites mandibles. He dropped dead. Becky fired two bullets at the raging general before the M6 clicked. She dropped the now also empty pistol and looked around quickly with a searching look. A weapon. A Spiker rifle that managed to end up on their side. She ran for it, with Thel'mola right behind her.

"Stay and fight demon!" He demanded, frustrated.

Becky leaped and rolled onto her back and grabbed the Spike rifle. Thel'mola kept coming at her. she aimed at him head. His energy blade pierced her waist armor. She fired the rifle in her hands. Thel'mola ate the metal projectile and fell backwards, dead as a doornail.

The Spartan breathed out. but she only gave herself a few seconds for it. She got up and readied the charge. She placed it and got to cover. Then she blow the walkway. Only leaving one. She suddenly grabbed her grenade. Moment later, looking at the gravity hammer.

Phoenix put her last round through a Aeyaen's chest. She hung the M397 on her back and pulled up her M90. Aiming, she fired one single blast. The Aeyaen was flung backwards and hit the floor hard.

"I'm almost out of ammo!" Fox shouted. Panic was rising in her voice.

Before Phoenix could answer, she saw Gate in her peripheral vision.

"Major!" She called. She realized the commander wasn't with them.

Even with her helmet, Gate knew exactly what she thought of.

"She's ensuring the mission succeeds by holding the generator. I'm sorry." His voice was sincere.

Phoenix nodded, keeping her emotions in place. This wasn't the time for any of it.

"The we have to move," she stated.

Gate nodded.

"Oh, thank fucking god!" Fox exclaimed, relieved.

"Rodney, open the door again."

"Already on it!" In a moment the door opened. "Come on!"

They hurried through it. Twenty or more wraith was swarming in from the left corridor with a handful grunts and six Aeyaen's. from the right corridor, two wraith commanders led ten brutes, four Ultras and fifty or sixty grunts into battle. Above them, drones flew in. A dozen of them at least.

Rodney was quick to close and seal the door behind them. Ensuring that they could not follow. Unfortunately it left one way to go basically. To the generator chamber. They made their way to the cargo elevator and up to Pierre and Daniel.

The sight wasn't pretty. Pierre was firing a plasma rifle and the turret was a pile of junk now. Daniel wasn't a pretty sight. He was lying on the ground. His right arm was gone. Not even a limb left. His armor on back, chest, both legs and shoulder had been blown off, and all these places had badly burnt skin exposed. He still gripped his M6 pistol tightly, showing he was alive. Somehow.

Stahl ran over and kneeled beside him.

"Cover her!" Gate ordered.

Jovakhin, Fox and Porter moved up in line and opened a barrage at the jackals firing at them. Pierre killed their elite superior. His armor looked damaged too. On the left side and back, facing Daniel.

"About time," Pierre complimented. "Always happy to see you guys!"

"We leave when Sphinx fours ready," Gate told him.

"Fine by…" he paused as his rifle overheated. "…me."

"You…made it, huh…" Daniel mumbled. "Where's…commander?"

Phoenix explained it to them while SG18 covered them. Stahl was finished with him in about a minute. The bleeding had stopped and that had to be enough right now.

Daniel got up slowly.

"Sir!" Porter called. "Can we please leave now?!"

"Phoenix with me," Gate ordered. "On point."

They hurried through the Dreadnoughts corridors. Fox was hoping they wasn't gonna get lost. They were totally screwed if they did. They heard Rodney's internal explosions go off on board. It wasn't too bad, but it would hopefully keep them busy long enough for them to get off _Malevolence_. They had only minutes before the generator overloaded. On the way, a jackal got a perfect shot off and hit Porter's leg. He doubled over. Pierre took the little bird-shit out. phoenix grabbed Porter and let him support himself against her. when he walked to slow, she pulled him over her shoulder to move faster.

Even with death chasing them, Fox found time to laugh at Porter. By the time they reached the hangar, they were damn lucky enough to find it empty. They rushed towards the transport and scrambled aboard it. Pierre motioned to close the ramp. Time was short.

On the bridge, Toby saw when the UNSC reinforcements arrived. Vice Admiral Paul Dorneget. He ordered the bridge crew to power up the main weapon and target the reinforcements. If they could destroy them, it would be ultimate victory over Yorktown. He was awaiting a report on the situation with the intruders. He also waited to find out where Azzadira was. He would have expected her to be on the bridge now. Also, Covenant General Thel'mola wasn't responding to communication attempts. Toby considered that he might have fallen.

 **Captured transport**

Phoenix sat in the cockpit, steering the transport back towards their comrades on Yorktown.

"Major," She called back. "Guys check this out."

Soon everyone filled into the relatively large cockpit. They saw a mass of UNSC warships. Reinforcements had arrived.

"Reinforcements has arrived!" Pierre cheered.

"'bout fuckin' time," Daniel said flatly, leaning against the wall in the doorway.

"Attention," a male voice came through the ships comm. "This is Vice Admiral Paul Dorneget-"

Finally they could soon breath out. After everything that had happened. They could finally relax. Finally saw a light on the horizon. How quickly can you take hope away? How quickly can one crush someone's hopes and dreams? Her brutally can you do that? It was answered in the next few seconds.

 _Malevolence's_ main weapon fired. It striked the midst of Dorneget's fleet. The explosion and purple energy wave was horrifying the thought of watching helplessly. It was heart wrenching. Was it a last kick in the gut by the universe? Could be. Seemed like it. In a moment. The graceful moment of relief was gone. Crushed. Just like Dorneget's fleet. His own ship being one of those destroyed.

Nothing could possibly save the colony.

 _ **Malevolence**_ **, generator chamber**

Becky threw the Spike rifle at a drone, causing it to fall down into the-seemingly-bottomless hole around the walkway. Hundreds of meters down. She delivered a kick to the jaw of a brute, then spun around and kicked him again. Right off the side. In the commotion, she _borrowed_ his grenade launcher. She aimed it and fired at the mass approaching her. Grunts flew in all directions. Dozens of them. the screams echoed through the chamber.

Becky fired four more shots before halting. She enemy was virtually cleaned up and the walkway looked very unstable. She stared down the Hunter across from her. It seemed smart enough not to cross, and smart enough not to fire its cannon and risk destroying the generator. They both stared each other down silently. No one did anything. But Becky could hear move forces approaching. Yelling and roaring. The first she saw was a Aeyaen. She wielded a curved sword.

In the end. Neither her, the Aeyaen, or the Hunter felt a thing. The last thing they saw was a blinding light filling the chamber. A light from the generator. It lasted for two short seconds, but they felt like an eternity. She was tired. So tired. No, it was time to rest. For good. The explosion traveled up the length of _Malevolence_ in seconds. The ship was ripped apart, inch by inch. No large pieces of debris. No rubble floating about. A three dozen or more Covenant ships was crushed in the shockwave within five seconds of the generator overloading.

 **Battlecruiser** _ **Reclaimer of Truth**_ **bridge**

Velfamee and Selumee both watched the horrific scene. Still better than they had expected. Major Fel Magrromee stood by Velfamee's side. Selumee and Velfamee looked at each other.

"Well major?" Velfamee asked.

"As expected sir, better," Magrromee informed them, pleased with the result, but yet saddened. "Thirty-eight ships destroyed. Not including the Malevolence itself."

They were all surprised that Malevolence caused such a massive explosion and shockwave it tore through the Covenant fleet. They themselves had been out of range. All Covenant ships that survived had been badly damaged. Apart from a few that was also stationed outside range. By orders from Selumee himself.

"I'll miss that ship," Selumee confessed. "It was a good command ship. But, the humans plan succeeded after all. I'm actually surprised."

Velfamee nodded.

"Unfortunately they managed to sweep the UNSC navy away first. I hope they can recover from that." He looked at Selumee. "We'll need them."

The Fleetmaster nodded.

"Did _Transcendent Justice_ survive?"

Magrromee check a terminal.

"Confirmed. Their weapons is still online so an attack to take it would certainly fail."

Selumee scoffed. "Can't succeed every time, I suppose." He looked to Velfamee. "We were lucky you picked up chatter on the humans. Enough to figure out their strategy."

"Tell me Magrromee," Velfamee said. "What's our friends status?"

"All three Corvettes undamaged."

"Good, contact Shipmaster Rtek and the other two Kig-Yar Shipmasters. We'll be departing immediately. Navigation, a course for Rhivos." He turned his head to Selumee. "Are you ready to make our move…Arbiter?"

Selumee breathed out and nodded.

"I am."


	20. Ch20 Aftermath

Universal Journey Chapter 20 Aftermath

 **New Australia orbit, Longstreet station,** _ **Aleppo**_ **bridge**

 **16** **th** **day**

It had been a quite long time sense the events on board _Malevolence_. They had all been recovering from the events. Moral within the UNSC was very low. Now, Yorktown was lost. The majority of it or all glassed. Along with millions of people who didn't make it offworld in time. Whatever artefact the Covenant had been searching for in the vault, it was impossible to know if they found it or not.

Woolsey smiled as he looked at Callahan. She walked into the bridge again for the first time sense her injuries. She looked around at her crew. They smiled warmly at her.

"Welcome back, sir," Kyle said.

"Thanks," Callahan replied.

She coughed. She had a temporarily pained expression sense coughing caused slight pain in her chest. She supported herself against a black cane. She still felt a little shaking when she walked. But as Gate had told her on a daily basis, he would be more than happy if she got up and assumed command again. He could barely wait to stop doing her duties.

She looked around for a moment. Major Marks had still not been able to return to his duties. To his own dismay. His hands was too badly burnt and would take time to heal.

"When are you leaving, Richard?" She asked.

"In thirty minutes. I'm meeting Master Bra'tac on the planet before the conference."

"Just try not to misspell your name, ok."

He smiled.

"I'll do my best. Hopefully my IOA experience can help me handle that."

Woolsey and Bra'tac would meet General Warfield, two members from the ONI-Colonel Wadsworth and Lt. Colonel Kenmore. Unlike Wadsworth, Woolsey's first impression of Kenmore had been delightful. He seemed a good and friendly man. Unlike his ONI colleges so far. They would sign an official alliance between the UNSC, their Earth and the Jaffa Nation. Some questions rose if they could sign away from their respective governments, but signing an alliance with four random ships from another dimension didn't work well on paper. The UNSC was very glad to be able to sign the documents. It meant that their alliance was now formal and complete.

Although only six days had passed sense Yorktown, a lot of things had changed. Right now, Aleppo and all three Ha'taks was docked to Longstreet station, a large military space station in orbit around New Australia.

Lord Hood had promoted Warfield to commander-in-chief of all army units in the sector. It had formerly fallen to General Bill Hathaway on Yorktown, but he didn't make it off the planet. His sad fate was shared by General Harry Burke and General Ian Hawke. Grand Admiral Philippe Geraldino survived. He had been evacuated ten minutes before the Headquarter was pierced and overrun by wraith, brutes and War droids. They sought revenge for the loss of _Malevolence_. McKenzie and Warfield both, was now sitting on the military board based on New Australia, as did Geraldino.

Rodney had been granted access to a lab on board Longstreet station and an unofficial commission as station science-head. He oversaw and worked on several projects. One was the training of personnel to use Aleppo technology. They were supposed to train overs to install hyperdrives and shields on all UNSC one day. He was also working on a project to combine human infantry weapons with Covenant plasma weaponry. He claimed it was liable and very possible to succeed.

Warfield, McKenzie and Geraldino wanted to hold a ceremony to honor the Jaffa and Aleppo crews and troops. Both had helped in so many ways to try save Yorktown. Warfield wanted to give them all medals, and was in the process of making sure history would not forget the hundreds and even thousands of Jaffa that died on and over Yorktown. It was lucky-for them-that Bra'tac had had a full complement of Jaffa on board his ships.

Jovakhin walked into the bridge and looked at Callahan. She smiled under his mask when he saw her sitting down and trying out her command chair. She shifted in her chair with a smile. She liked sitting down in her good old-and somewhat uncomfortable-command chair.

He stepped through the doorway.

"Adriana," he said. "May I speak with you in private?"

Callahan looked over her shoulder and spotted him.

"Okay. Give me a moment." She got up and started following him out.

They stopped in the middle of the corridor outside the bridge.

"Is everything alright?" She then asked, with slight concern.

He seemed to hesitate, or maybe he was, or maybe he was citing the Koran in his head. One never knew with him.

"I am, fine. Something on my mind. Has been sense we destroyed _Malevolence_ ," he explained.

A crewmember came around the corner.

"Private conversation," Callahan told him. "Take five minutes."

He just nodded and turned about.

"I believe I know how Azzadira came to be in this parallel universe," he explained, waiting for her reaction.

She remained calm, but arched an eyebrow with interest.

"How's that?"

He straightened his back.

"Adriana, I don't know if she had one such device on board or not. She might not have had one. It could still be out there. On another ship, another Covenant planet perhaps."

"What could be?"

"A wormhole generator. She…created one ninety years ago. I kept an ear close enough to discover. It…could have been on the ship."

Callahan stared-now-in shock.

"W-what!" She exclaimed. "Are you telling me our only way home, might have been on the ship we blew up." she managed to get herself to whisper, albeit angrily.

Jovakhin nodded slowly.

"I am sorry. I don't know for sure. But I know one thing. We could not activate it, and destroy the ship in time. We could most likely only had down one. So the question would become. Try saving the humans, or sacrifice them to get home. I know what you would have chosen."

She pointed her finger, practically in his face.

"It wasn't your call to decide what to tell me and what to keep to yourself! And, furthermore! You're damn right I would have made the same choice anyway, but you don't get to assume something like that!" She paused to breathe. "Is…that clear?" She had her eyes narrowed on the slits in his mask.

He slowly nodded.

"Yes."

He did sound to be actually sorry about it, but she didn't care right now. He still knowingly kept information from her.

 **Hollow faith, Cold echo of loss base**

 **16** **th** **day**

Azzadira stood in her assigned quarters. She looked out the window as the heavy rain poured down from the sky. She looked out through her silver mask. She was dressed in black robes, similar to those she had prior on _Malevolence_. Field marshal Orn Kaaldrumee stood behind her. The giant Sangheili stood three meters away. His head almost hit the ceiling. He wore a maroon and purple armor. There were two Aeyaen's in the room with them.

"How many ships do they control?" Azzadira finally started the conversation.

Kaaldrumee cleared his throat and spoke with his dark and naturally menacing voice.

"Our intelligence suggests around twenty Corvettes, a handful Frigates, two Destroyers, at least five Heavy Cruisers, probably more. And two Battlecruisers."

"Was, it…four planets?"

"No lady Azzadira," he corrected her. "Five."

She arched her eyebrows under her mask.

"You lost a planet in two days?" One of the Aeyaen's inquired in her soft voice.

Kaaldrumee would normally have snorted and punched her for it, but he controlled himself. He knew it wasn't a good way to prove his loyalty.

"Yes. But it was just a Sangheili mining colony. But, there was a shipyard on it."

Azzadira laughed lightly.

"Tell me, what is Enlightenment doing to correct this…er, rebellion of yours? I heard he reassigned Demmuda to locate more human worlds to destroy instead of chasing down Selumee and Velfamee's little rebellion."

"Yes," Kaaldrumee informed her. he snorted. "He does not believe the traitors is a threat and can easily be defeated. The Hierarchs currently agree."

"The longer it goes on unchallenged, the greater the threat the will be. In time, more and more people will join them. Giving them ships and manpower. Which in turn allows them to conquer resources and territories."

Kaaldrumee only nodded in agreement.

"You didn't protest, right?" Azzadira hoped.

"Of course not," he assured her. "As you said."

She nodded approvingly.

"Good." She then turned around. "You know what, this could be to my... our, advantage. The destruction of my beautiful baby _Malevolence_ was horrible, but, it opened the door to a mutiny in the Covenant lines." She smiled. "Yes, we can take advantage of this. You-" she looked at one of the Aeyaen's. "Return to my ship last ship and use the wormhole generator to contact my Mephini forces."

She snapped a salute and stood at attention.

"Yes mother."

Azzadira's last ship was nothing impressive. It was a slick black Light Cruiser shaped like a spearhead. It was carrying her wormhole generator and had remained behind when they traveled to Yorktown.

"What are you thinking my lady?" Kaaldrumee asked her.

Azzadira wasn't sure how the Sangheili Zealot saw her in such a light. A savior to the Sangheili people. He had sworn her loyalty and his life.

"I am thinking…that it's time to start dismantling the Covenant. Soon, my empire will expand into this reality. I really have no wish to conquer all of this, but the resources. Those I need. The Sangheili. The Unggoy workforce. The Huragok and so much more." She stepped closer to the Sangheili. "This little rebellion, the Covenant Reborn-as they call themselves-couldn't have risen at a better time." She titled her head. "Hopefully the Covenant's too proud and arrogant to realize the threat they pose in opposite to the UNSC."

"Sooner or later, they will mass an armada to wipe them out. If the rebellion conquers anything increasingly important," the second Aeyaen voiced.

Kaaldrumee nodded in agreement with her.

"Field marshal," Azzadira said. "I want the Unggoy to know that I want to meet the unofficial leaders of their numbers here."

He bowed his head.

"I will do my best."

He left, along with the Aeyaen.

Azzadira sighed and sank down into her bed. She had placed a bed of her own in her quarters. The Covenant wasn't big of comfort. No comfy padded chairs or beds. How could the Covenant still stand? Given the way they acted towards each other it was surprising that they were actually winning against the UNSC. At least they worked together and its commanders didn't backstab each other because of personal reasons.

She really missed her little baby _Malevolence_.

She wasn't sure how long she had slept when one of her commandos woke her up. A few hours at least. She drank some water before allowing the Unggoy to come in. It was five of them. One of them wasn't much of a military officer. He was a minor, but almost all Unggoy looked up to him. He was always the first to speak for their people, even as it often was not welcomed. His name was Pyngok.

"You Azzadira?" He asked assumingly.

She nodded.

"I am."

The Unggoy looked fearfully at Kaaldrumee.

"He's fine," she assured him. "He's on your side."

"Our, side?" Pyngok questioned suspiciously.

"I hope that we would all be on the same side. Unlike the Covenant, I see the abilities of your people. How you keep the Covenant standing."

Pyngok looked weary of her. he seemed decisive in not saying anything that could get him in trouble.

"That so," he murmured.

"You keep the industrial power going. You **are** , the base of the Covenant's power to make war," Azzadira insisted. "Without you, the Sangheili would have to throw the Kig-Yar into battle as cannon fodder."

Two of the Unggoy was very excited to here that. They probably liked hearing someone finally talk about their strength.

"What are you suggesting?" Pyngok asked straight up.

Azzadira smiled pleased behind her silver mask.

"I know you heard that I treated your brothers on _Malevolence_ fairly. The Unggoy wasn't bullied on board my ship. Now, can you imagine a better opportunity for a political change?" She looked straight at him and his fellow Unggoys. "With a Sangheili rebellion ongoing? Just imagine, Unggoy, Aeyaen, wraith and Mephini. All fighting side by side. Imagine, Unggoy troops invading Doisac and Sangheilios!" She paced across the room. "Both worlds will be nothing but a conquered territory in a new empire. An end to the pointless bloodshed with humanity. No more pointless wars to throw the Unggoy at. No more cannon fodder assignments."

Pyngok seemed hesitant. He didn't show what he thought. Unlike the others. Three of the five practically jumped in excitement.

"Yes-yes-yes!" One of them cheered excitedly.

Pyngok and the fifth remained quiet. This seemed dangerous. It was treason after all.


	21. Ch21 Those few lucky

Universal Journey Chapter 21 Those few lucky

 **Aleppo bridge**

 **2550, August 27** **th** **, 19** **th** **day**

"Dropping out of hyperspace in ten seconds, sir," the airman beside Callahan informed.

He had assumed Marks role until he had completely recovered. Although still using her cane, Callahan had tired of doing nothing. She could still command _Aleppo_ without needing to run. With the alliances signed three days ago, it was time to once again prove _Aleppo's_ value. They would soon enter the system designated RP6Q.

"Be ready to raise shields and fired the Asgard beams," Callahan said.

"Yes ma'am."

"Seven."

Gate stood behind Callahan's command chair. He glanced at Jovakhin who stood a meter away. Callahan and Jovakhin had barely spoken sense he told them about the wormhole generator. He understood why she was angry with him, but also why he didn't tell them.

"Five. Four…dropping out."

 _Aleppo_ violently reentered normal space and shields and weapons was activated.

"What about the targets?" Callahan asked.

"Six ships, colonel," Kyle informed her. "Like our sensors detected. Two Light Cruiser sized, three thousand life signs each. Minimal weapons and defensive capabilities."

"Troop transports," Gate surmised. "Can you identify species."

Kyle looked at Callahan.

"Jiralhanae, sir."

Callahan arched an eyebrow.

"The other four ships?"

"Three Destroyers in escort formation and a Light Cruiser," Kyle answered. "Two Destroyers are turning towards us and both troop transports are powering up slipstream engines."

"Are we in range lieutenant?"

"Aye."

"Fire."

"Yes ma'am," the airman responded.

The Asgard beams blasted at the closest Light Cruiser. Focusing on the engines, the aft of the ship was torn apart. With a few shots in the right place, it was ripped into pieces. All three thousand brutes aboard was doomed in moments. They maneuvered around the defending escort and blasted the second troopship apart. After a two hits, secondary explosions from the engine compartment ripped the Covenant ship to shreds.

"Nice shot, Airman Wells," Callahan complimented.

"Thank you, sir."

Two hits was enough to tear one of the Destroyer apart. The ship exploded and the shockwave damaged the other two Destroyer. Without shields, both Destroyer was shook and many secondary and primary systems were disabled. They were easy pickings for _Aleppo_ at that point. That left the Light Cruiser alone.

"Let's get our last friend," Callahan said. "Probably feeling lonely."

"Hold on, sir," Kyle alerted. "Twenty-seven warships approaching from a space station over the planet."

Callahan looked out the front viewport.

"Space station, huh. Scan the planet."

"Done, sir," she replied. 50,000 life signs."

"Alright we've done enough damage. Let's jump to our last target and then withdraw to New Australia. Inform them of the raids success and that we discovered a Covenant colony," the L. colonel decided.

"Aye, sir."

 _Aleppo_ entered hyperspace and left the Covenants responding forces too late, with countless Jiralhanae dead. Several ships destroyed. And sense ships was both expensive to construct and took time and manpower to construct, _Aleppo's_ raid did more damage than it would first appeared. It wouldn't deter the Covenant a bit though.

It wasn't their first attack either. Yesterday they attacked two Covenant positions. With their advanced hyperdrives, the journey was made a very quick one. And their sensors made it easier to defect ships that was far away. As long as they weren't in slipspace.

"I hope the UNSCs appreciating all of this," Gate mused.

"They do," Jovakhin answered from his corner of the bridge. "The thought of going on the offensive is good for moral. Finally the Covenant's on the defensive, to some small extent. Moral is surely rising as news spreads. Furthermore, you cannot win a war by only reacting to your enemy. To win, cease the advantage."

The systems they headed for was nearby. The trip in hyperspace took only minutes. When they dropped out into regular space, Kyle scanned the system. When the results came in, she frowned.

"Sir, I'm detecting the six signatures we found before, but I can't locate them."

"What you mean you can't locate them?" Callahan asked confused.

"I'm detecting some kind of minerals in the asteroids that's messing with sensors. I'm not getting much of anything. There is something on the other side. Mass of signatures, colonel. Presumably a space station and…over two hundred ships." Kyle held her collected expression.

"I assume they can't see us?" Gate inquired.

Kyle shook her head.

"No way sir. Their sensors is certainly as-and more-gutted then ours. We're all flying blind."

Callahan leaned forward and rubbed her chin.

This system seemed like a perfect battlefield. All sensors scrambled. Meant everyone had to rely on their eyes and skill. A perfect defensive position. But also a perfect offensive position, assuming you knew what you were doing or where you had the enemy. And clearly the Covenant had a major fleet here.

"Cloak and take us in," Callahan ordered.

"Aye, ma'am," airman Wells replied.

 _Aleppo_ moved in, through the asteroids and towards the scrambled Covenant signatures. When the fleet came in on the front viewport, they saw a huge space station and the huge fleet. The station was at least a hundred kilometers long and forty kilometers in height.

"How many on that station?" Callahan asked.

Given their advanced sensors they could get a somewhat clear picture of the situation.

"Approximately a few hundred thousand," Kyle suggested. "I believe they could fit up to a million men aboard without a problem. Maybe more. Could be close about half a million or more Covies on board."

"An armada and army ready to invade a human world," Jovakhin theorized.

"Jesus," Gate muttered in awe. "That's a lot of ships and folk."

"I am counting three Assault Carriers in total," Jovakhin informed. "Thirteen Heavy and Light Carriers. Thirteen, no. I am sorry, fifteen Battlecruisers."

Gate looked at him with arched eyebrows.

"How can you recognize everything so fast. I don't know what half this stuff is."

"Learnt with time."

"Oh. Make sense."

"Adriana, this fleet is less impressive then it looks. Slightly over half of their numbers consist of Corvettes and Frigates," Jovakhin explained. "It is built on mostly numbers."

Callahan whistled.

"Colonel," Kyle spoke up. "I've identified one of the Assault Carriers."

"From?"

"Scans from Yorktown. It was there. Definitely."

Gate tensed.

"What do we do, sir?" He asked. "They're gonna use this armada to attack human worlds."

She nodded slowly.

"Wells, stand by to decloaked and activate shields."

"Aye, sir."

Jovakhin left the bridge.

"Kyle, beam a Naquadah nuke and three UNSC nukes onto that space station, then two UNSC nukes right into one of those Assault Carriers." She paused. "The other two are much further away. We'd have to make our way through their fleet to get within range. Instead, start beaming nukes onto the bridges of as many Battlecruisers as you can."

They had to be careful when using their Naquadah enhanced nukes sense they didn't have an unlimited stockpile of them, but this was a good situation to use the devastating effects it brought.

"Got it."

Callahan leaned back again.

"Wells. Now."

"Aye."

 _Aleppo_ decloaked and raised shields immediately as she headed towards the Covenant. Before the aliens could open fire, the massive docking station erupted in flames from a huge internal explosion. At least four dozen starships was destroyed by the explosion, or the following shockwave. Countless was badly damaged and disabled.

 _Aleppo_ avoided incoming plasma fire by quick maneuvers. A few shots hit dead on. Shortly afterwards, the closest Assault Carrier was ripped asunder in several nuclear explosions worth of chaos. Three screening Corvettes was obliterated by simple proximity.

About a fourth of the fleet was maneuvering to intercept _Aleppo_. The rest was recovering and trying to figure out what just happened.

"Shields at ninety-five percent," Wells informed.

"Beaming nuke onto Battlecruiser bridge," Kyle update.

The front of the battlecruiser in question was obliterated. Turned into metal dust.

"Reengage cloak," Callahan ordered.

"Aye, sir," Wells affirmed.

At the right opportunity he switched from shields to cloak and _Aleppo_ disappeared.

Callahan slowly turned to Wells.

"Let's not try out luck. Let's get back to New Australia."

He nodded.

"Yes, sir."

Suddenly Kyle turned to her.

"Colonel, we're missing an puddle jumper," she announced with confusion.

"What? How? When?" Callahan asked confused. When did it leave?

"I'm not sure. I don't understand why we didn't detect it leaving. We should have noticed the hangar doors opening."

"Who took it?" She asked, with a worrying feeling of who it might be. She pressed a button on her panel. "Bridge to Jovakhin." She waited. No response. "Bridge to Jovakhin, respond please."

Gate frowned deeply.

"What the hell is he doing?!"

Callahan sighed.

She worried he was going after this Azzadira person. Assuming she wasn't vaporized when **Malevolence** blow up. They had a heavy history, of some kind. Was he going to finish it? He did feel bad for keeping knowledge to himself. What if her anger directed at him pushed him to do this.

She put her head down in her hands and cursed to herself.

"Do we return for him?" Gate asked.

"He's certainly cloaked or we'd noticed a puddle jumper leaving. Damn it Jovakhin. What are you thinking?"

 **New Australia orbit, Longstreet station, Colonel Wadsworth's office**

Brian Wadsworth read the latest report of Doctor McKay's work. Major Eric Dare sat across his desk, looking back at him as he looked up. beside him sat Lt. Colonel Felix Kenmore. The Asian man sat with a straight back and a calm expression.

"Is he staling?" Wadsworth asked.

"Wouldn't put it passed them," Dare said suspiciously.

"It wouldn't make sense," Kenmore tried being the voice of reason. "Why would Doctor McKay stall? We've signed a treaty with them. A military defense pact. Stalling the hyperdrive installment on our ships makes no tactical sense. Our technologies are different so it should be no surprise that some issues would appear. Installing the shields back on Yorktown wasn't a cakewalk either, if you read the reports."

Dare just snorted.

Wadsworth put the report down and leaned across the desk. He looked at Kenmore for a moment.

"Big talk for a man that abandoned his duty at Dagger base. Evacuated against orders," he said with a grim look.

Kenmore kept his cool.

"I wasn't abandoning my duty or disobeying orders. We were under orders to evacuate the base. The military-"

"-Isn't who you take orders from," Wadsworth interrupted rudely. "ONI is. Understood?"

"They were in charge. Not ONI."

"Our base," Dare sneered.

"We all protect humanity," Wadsworth said firmly. "But, ONI's willing to do whatever it takes to defend Earth. Unlike the military."

It wasn't much of a counter argument to Kenmore. Basically he said that he didn't give a damn.

Dare looked at Kenmore with anger in his eyes.

"If they hadn't worried about civilian casualties and evacuating them, we could have inflicted grave casualties on the Covenant. Far graver then anything we got now." He glared with intensity. "Sacrifices is how you win wars. The bigger, the better."

Wadsworth raised his hand to silence the major.

"Look. It doesn't matter anymore. Now we're preparing operation Anchorage. Major Dare will be in command of the majority of the operation, while you will command a specific operation aboard Longstreet itself." He paused. "We act when Aleppo returns from its mission. The future of Earth is at stake." He looked firmly at Kenmore. "Remember that, Lt. Colonel."

"What is my part, sir?" Kenmore asked.

"For now, you need to remember that your family can die in a horrible accident at any moment with a few calls." Wadsworth smiled. "A friendly reminded of your duty. Wouldn't want your sons to die, right? Dismissed Lt. colonel."

Dare kept his laugh contained.

 **Hyperspace**

 **Course, Hollow Faith**

Jovakhin sat in the pilot seat of the puddle jumper. It wasn't the easiest task to construct a functioning hyperdrive to it on so short notice, but doable all the same. He had just sent a subspace message on an ancient frequency. He hadn't used it for millennia. No one had. But he knew only one person in this reality would pick up his message.

He could feel that Azzadira was alive. He could just feel it. So many had died so he couldn't let her continue with whatever plans she had. If she wanted him, she'd have him. this time, it would be a fight to the death. Just them. one on one. If he managed to kill her, the alliance with the Covenant would die. no new tech. No war droids, no wraith or Aeyaen commandos. No Mephini, which she was probably planning to bring to this reality to shore up her position and military capacity. Especially after losing _Malevolence_.

 **Hollow Faith**

 **military compound**

Prophet of Secrets and Prophet of Enlightenment both sat back in their gravity thrones and Enlightenment clipped his fingers together calmly with a smile. They looked at the holographic images of Fleet master Rtas Demmuda and a dozen other Sangheili officers was present. Three of them were Zealots.

Secrets tapped his fingers against the edges of his gravity throne.

"We have spoken with the Hierarchs," he explained. "And we all agree what needs to be done now." He paused. "We mustn't risk the human heretics upgrading their technology."

"Azzadira is stalling," Enlightenment promptly added. "What must be done to safeguard the Covenant's future is clear."

A few Sangheili exchanged a few glanced.

Secret looked at them all, one by one.

"This alliance is no longer in the best interest of the Covenant as a whole. Sense her Super Dreadnought is gone, she provided no advantage any longer and her wish to bring a fleet here is a threat."

Demmuda put the pieces together for what they wanted to do. He hated Azzadira, but he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to cut her off as an ally. She did prove herself at the human colony. As long as she stayed in place and didn't try to push the Sangheili aside, he could keep his feelings of her in check and contained. For the glory of the Covenant.

"She will be eliminated as a potential threat," Secret continued. He gestured to a Sangheili in a Zealot armor. "General Zumee will command the operation."

The Zealot stepped forward.

He wasn't as giant as Kaaldrumee but he was tall and muscular enough to be threatening, even by Sangheili standards.

"Please General. Go through your plan of action."

Zumee nodded appreciatively to the two San'Shyuum. He put his gauntleted hands down on the round table they were gathered around.

"Our first step will be to disable her ship in orbit and board it," he started explaining. "Our forces will occupy it and claim the wormhole generator for the Covenant. As this happens stealth forces will eliminate her officers. Our soldiers will be engaged and slaughtered by Sangheili forces. The whole base will be surrounded until this is finished." He paused and looked at his fellow Sangheili and the Prophets. Enlightenment nodded approvingly.

Zumee cleared his throat and clicked his mandibles. Before continuing. "Step two, Azzadira will be located and executed. Assuming she isn't on the ship when we begin. If she is, she'll be executed all the same."

"Why isn't Field marshal Kaaldrumee leading this operation?" Demmuda asked pointedly.

Zumee glared at him.

"The Field marshal will be busy with other things," Secret answered. "he will prepare the invasion of several human populated worlds and mining colonies."

Demmuda presumed these locations was those Azzadira had provided them with a few days ago as a sign of good faith after scanning several sectors with long range sensors. An impressive technology for sure. Anyway, this plan. The wormhole generator technology was probably the most important part of this operation. It could allow them to spread the Covenants grip into other realities and universes. They would be unstoppable and immortal.

He nodded in response.

What worried him was if Azzadira opened the wormhole and her fleet ascended upon Hollow Faith. They didn't have more than a few dozen ships here. Mostly support class warships too. This was a gamble if he'd ever seen one.

"I heard rumors of a massive fleet lost," a Sangheili spoke up.

"As did I. The human ship **Aleppo** was responsible for an attack in a nearby system. It could not be a coincidence."

A murmur of agreements was shared amongst the Sangheili.

Demmuda cleared his throat and raised his hand.

"I have the report. One hundred and sixty starships destroyed and thirty eight gravely damaged. Counting the crews aboard all ships, we are counting eight hundred thousand dead."

A Sangheili smacked his fist into the table.

"The humans filth will pay!"

"They will," Enlightenment concurred plainly. "Field marshal Kaaldrumee will secure that outcome for us. We must focus on our own plans."

He leaned forward in his throne. He didn't seem faced by the massive casualties. Nor did Secret. Demmuda picked up on that and growled quietly.

* * *

I'm sorry this took so long, but I've been on vaccation, had work and rewriten a part of this chapter. It was a new part of the plot I decided to remove completely. It didn't seem to fit and just complicated the story without a real point so I got rid of it.


End file.
